Forward Progressions
by Dexter1995
Summary: "I am the lone wolf that walks by himself and everywhere I go looks the same to me. I have nothing to give… and nothing to share with anyone. Sometimes I wonder why I'm still alive. What was the purpose to me being here?"-Leonardo. Follows the events of "Flirting with the Enemy" & "Further Complications". I do not own TMNT or any of it's characters.
1. Outcomer part 1

**Well, the first chapter of **_**Forward Progressions**_**! This story involves a bit of a time jump into the future, about 15 years after the events of **_**Further Complications**_**. I've added a couple more 'surprises' to this story that you'll just have to read to find out. Well, without further of do… Enjoy!**

_**(15 years later/ Shredder's dojo/ Tokyo, Japan)**_

**({No POV})**

The atmosphere was dark and dure if not for the dim lighting in a certain portion of the dojo, the archery range.

The whole dojo was empty, except for one dark figure at one of the archery stations. A young ninja dressed in a black jumpsuit, tabi boots, and a black leather utility belt with two sheaths, one on either side of his body, each containing a juji-ken.

His torso was covered in hard black leather armor that had a dark red emblem of the Foot Clan etched into the posterior portion of it on his back. His arms were bare if not for two steel forearm plates on his arms and an archery glove on his right hand.

His hair was about as concise as he looked. The sides of his head were in a buzz cut but the top of his head contained short, straight, and thick jet black hair that was styled up in uniform neat spikes.

His face adorned with a metallic black happuri and a matching detachable piece of facial armour that covered the lower half of his face. He looked lean but powerful, strong, and even dangerous.

Over his shoulder were a short yumi and a yebira packed with arrows.

His eyes were focused on the target in front of him as he removed the yumi and took the grip of it in his left hand as his right took an arrow from the yebira and armed the yumi with it as he took his stance with the weapon at the clean target in front of him. He lined up his shot as he pulled back on the string of the yumi. His eyes trained on the target as he released the arrow.

The arrow pierced through the air swiftly and silently as it stuck the target… dead center.

Then in almost rapid succession, as if he were firing a gun rather than a bow, three more arrows flew from the yumi one after the other.

The second arrow split the first arrow in the target, as the third did to the second and the fourth and final arrow did to the third arrow… earning an unprecedented and almost impossible 4 consecutive bullseyes and 3 splits of an arrow.

His eyes surveyed his work as he returned the yumi to its place over his shoulder. Then, the young ninja was not alone as four Foot soldiers appeared behind him. Approaching him tentatively and slowly drawing their weapons. The group thought they went undetected as one was about to go for a strike at the young ninja with a naginata.

Then in a split second he drew his two juji-ken from the sheaths at his sides, crossing them in an 'X' as he turned around to block and stop the strike dead in its tracks before swiftly delivering a spinning back kick to his attacker's head, knocking his opponent unconscious with that one blow.

Two of the remaining three also rushed simultaneously to take him down only to suffer the same fate.

The young ninja returned his swords to their sheaths as he stood in the center of the dojo. The final Foot soldier of the previous four was right behind him looking ready to throw a shuriken at him.

Right as he was about to wind back and release, the young ninja quickly drew his yumi and an arrow from his shoulder before turning and firing the arrow in one swift motion. The arrow's strike was punctuated by an agonized cry when the arrow pierced through the throwing hand of the Foot soldier, pinning it to the wall behind him, and the shuriken, in turn, fell with a small pang to the dojo's floor.

"Enough!" Came a voice of a dark, menacing figure in the doorway; the Shredder. The young ninja looked in his direction and quickly bowed his head in respect. The Shredder gestured with his hand down the hall he just came from and said, "Come with me. The rest of you leave."

As the young ninja exited the dojo to follow the Shredder, he walked by and tore the arrow from the hand of the Foot soldier, who cried out again in pain, as the young ninja continued to walk past him and wiped the blood off the arrow on the material of the lower part of his jump suit before returning it to the yebira on his back.

He eventually got to the main room of the dojo containing a large throne-like chair, Shredder's chair, and a large open space. The Shredder was sitting in his chair as he looked down to the young ninja who was in an attentive stance, his head bowed.

"At ease." The Shredder says and the young ninja relaxed his stance as he looked up at the Shredder.

"So what I have heard is correct about your skills… I'm impressed. You fly out to New York tomorrow. I hope you feel you are prepared to take this on?" The Shredder muses as he gets up and starts walking in a circle around the young ninja.

"I am." The young ninja states, entirely sure.

"Do you understand what you are supposed to do?" The Shredder inquires. "To restore the honor and strength of the Foot Clan." The young ninja replies to the point. "Very well. You are to accomplish that goal, that you know what it is, at any cost… Understand?" The Shredder says entirely serious.

"I understand… grandfather." The young ninja replies, his face still covered by his facial armor and his expression unreadable.

_**9 days later**_

**(Leo's POV)**

I handed Molly the strip of fabric and grinned at her.

She took it from me and gave me a weird look. I nodded at her and motioned for her to put it on. She still looked entirely confused as she put it on over her eyes and tied it behind her head before sighing, slightly annoyed.

"Uncle, I don't understand. What is blindfolding me supposed to teach me? What? Am I going to get a stick and hit a pinata next?" Molly replies sarcastically. Even though I wanted her to take this seriously, I had to smile a little to myself and shake my head.

It was times like this that confirmed that she was definitely my brother's and Mona's daughter.

"It's supposed to train you to use your other senses. You may not always have the ability to see you know? You may only have the ability to rely on hearing, touch, or even smell in a fight." I point out.

"When wouldn't I be able to see? Realistically?" Molly retorts.

"Blinding powder to the eyes, getting your eyes gouged… anything can happen Molly. I wasn't taught this lesson until I was 15 and I wished I would've been taught this earlier by your grandfather. It would have helped me so much more if I would have been introduced to this earlier. Now… do you want to learn?" I reply.

Molly's expression changed, seeing my point, as she bowed her head and replied, "Yes… sorry sensei."

I couldn't help but still smile to myself when I heard her call me that.

Even though I have been teaching her for the past 7 years after Splinter turned Molly's training entirely over to me, I still couldn't believe that I actually had my own student; I was a sensei now.

* * *

><p>Training was over and Molly was still here hanging out with me like she usually did when she waited for Raph to pick her up from work.<p>

Molly always comes over after school to train with me. As weird as people might find it, Molly prefers to hang out with me, her own uncle, rather than kids her own age. But, it was something I always really looked forward to everyday during the week.

Also, it wasn't surprising to me with Molly that she didn't _mesh_ with people her own age.

Molly, for being only 13, was pretty advanced beyond her years. She was mentally more mature than most in her age group and even gave me a run for my money too sometimes.

I glanced at her sitting next to me as we watched TV and I still can't get over what she is.

From birth, Molly has shared a heavy resemblance to Raph. The hair, the face, the eyes… the only physical characteristic she gained from Mona was the fairer skin tone, but her younger brother was also the same way.

However, even though Mona and Raph share a similar mindset, mentally Molly was definitely her mother's daughter.

Molly may not be _child prodigy_ smart like Mona, though Molly is definitely smart for sure, but her mannerisms and attitude matched Mona's on the dot. That was probably why I liked having her around.

Mona was still my best friend and I have found that same relationship with her daughter. Though I will admit that Molly can get her father's temper at times if you push her buttons enough.

Molly and I just bonded on a certain and deep level. Since it's just me and I have no family of my own, I saw her as my surrogate daughter as well as my niece. But, our bond also runs along the same lines.

We both loved our family, but we knew that in a way we were both… _outsiders_. Ever since the invasion, things just started to change. Well, it especially did when Mona found out she was pregnant.

It was a shock and totally unexpected for sure, but once I got her calmed down enough she told me what happened.

When I saw Raph and Mona fall down the elevator shaft at TCRI during the invasion, they got to the bottom unharmed by some miracle, but apparently that wasn't all that happened… Long story short Raph and Mona got into something that seemed like a life or death situation and…

Let's just say this; if you put two 17 year olds who were completely into each other in a life or death situation together what do you think would end up happening? Well, it did and then 9 months later Molly happened.

When Molly was born, it was really something that didn't just affect Raph and Mona, it was something that really affected all of us. I even saw Molly being born because Mona wanted me there with her.

Then once Molly was born, I was surprised that she gave her that name. I remembered that Molly was Mona's mom's name.

Even though her parents _disappeared_ all that time ago, Mona never fully got over it. Which is something that is entirely understandable. Losing both of your parents the way Mona did was horrible.

That was when I asked her why she would use her mother's name if it was painful for her and she told me something that still sticks in my memory to this day, "_It'll be extremely painful at first, but I think it's right." _

But, it wasn't like Raph and Mona were alone with Molly.

Molly was literally the definition that it took a village to raise a child, or in her case it was a sewer full of ninja vigilante uncles, April, Irma, sensei, and Hazel to help Mona and Raph.

Molly lived down here for the first three years of her life and that was why I felt a deeper bond with her over my other nieces and nephews.

I love all of them, don't get me wrong, but I just have a stronger connection with Molly.

We were both watching TV still when we heard heavy footsteps behind us and the same sarcastic greeting, "What? No hi?"

Molly whipped her head around and immediately got up and hugged Raph. "There's my girl. Ready to get going before your mom blows a gasket?" He asks her smiling. "Yeah… ugh, I forgot my stuff in the dojo. Be right back!" Molly yells as she runs back to the dojo.

I looked back at Raph who was covered in dirt.

"Rough day?" I ask. "Oh yeah, Larz has been a real ball buster lately with laying down pipes, but hey, at least I'm getting paid, right?" Raph says with a laugh as he crossed his arms.

As much as I tried to resist, I couldn't stop myself as I looked down to the silver band on the ring finger of his left hand; a wedding band.

Once Mona and Raph saw Molly was coming into the picture, they got married as soon as they were able to a little before Molly was born, which at first kind of surprised the rest of us, but then it wasn't so surprising and it wasn't an entirely big thing.

It's not like it was forced. It wasn't at all and Molly really wasn't the real reason behind it happening either.

Mona and Raph went through too much, just like the rest of us had together, to not end up together. It was obvious to everyone that they were meant for each other and would end up married eventually. Molly just kind of... _sped up the process._

I got the same thought in my head as I kept looking at Raph. I was envious of him; of all my brothers.

All of them married, happily married at that, with families of their own and lives above the surface. I was happy for them, I really am, but I'm also jealous.

Unlike all my brothers or even Splinter though, I never had a reason to leave the lair. I still lived down here on my own. I saw no reason to leave. There was nothing for me on the surface to have the compulsion to live up there.

Sure Donnie gave me all the identification documents so I could live topside if I wanted to… but I saw no point.

Also, unlike Mikey and Donnie who had other talents to get jobs on the surface… I really wasn't good at anything other than ninjutsu and Raph wasn't really either.

But even Raph got a job in construction that he's had for over 12 years. Raph was good at it. He was big, strong, tough and even though he has a smart mouth with authority, his employer and foremen Larz really didn't care.

Construction was also a good fit for Raph because it worked with the patrol schedules at night. Raph and I were the only ones that still went on nightly patrols.

Mikey joined us on weekends if he could and Donnie comes only a couple times a year when he visits from the small town-suburbs where he lives around the holidays when he is able to get time off from his job.

Raph tried to get me into construction with him a couple years back... but it didn't work. On site, I realized all the guys had nicknames that stuck that everyone called you.

Raph's was at least somewhat dignified and fitting for him, Brick House. Mine was one that makes me cringe to this day like nails on a chalkboard. From the moment I stepped on site, I was Pretty Boy.

All the guys kept making snide comments about me from the first day I was there. Saying things like how I was too _pretty_ for construction or almost teasingly saying that I should be more suited to being_ an underwear model on a billboard in times square_.

I couldn't take it. It wasn't worth it.

"So what's on your agenda tonight besides nothing?" Raph comments. I didn't have time to respond before Raph said, "C'mon man, stop sitting around here by yourself every night. Seriously, just looking at you in this place depresses me... Come over for dinner, Mona'd like to see you. She's always worried you're not eating good enough down here."

I let out a short laugh before replying, "You make her sound like my mother." "Hey, she's just worried about you man... Just come over tonight. We can watch Jimmy's last football game that I recorded. Also, if you say no then Mona will drag you out of here, tie you down and force you to sit and eat with us if she has to." Raph says and we both laugh a little.

Jimmy was Mona and Raph's son, Molly's younger brother and only sibling. To describe him in short, Jimmy was _definitely_ Raph's son; mentally and physically. He looked exactly like him, save for the slightly lighter skin tone he got from Mona, and even acts a lot like Raph when he was younger.

Jimmy wasn't a bad kid. He was just a very brash, snide, and smart mouthed 8 year old boy with a short fuse at times.

He, like Molly, was named in Mona's parents' memory. His real name was James after Mona's father, but it was his middle name was what really shocked me. When he was born I looked at his ID in the hospital and saw _James Leonardo_ on the line. I felt really honored and still do.

I thought Mona was the one who came up with it, until she admitted that it was actually Raph's idea which made me even more shocked at the time, but that was when I realized how much my brother and I were getting closer.

Raph and I almost never fight anymore. We finally found that respect for each other that sensei was always telling us about when we were younger and were finally able to work together efficiently.

I put my hands up in surrender before saying, "Alright, you got me. I'll be there." Raph smirked at me as he slapped me on the shoulder as Molly walked back in. Raph looked back at me one more time as he held his fist out to me. I did the same as we did our handshake we've done since we were 10 and he said, "See you later man."

Molly gave me a hug before I watched her and Raph walk out of the lair.

I smirked a little at the thought crossing my mind. Raph and I may have not gotten along as well when we were younger, but I was closer to Raph now than any of my other brothers.

_**Later that night**_

We were out on another patrol tonight. It was me, Raph, and Molly.

For her thirteenth birthday I gave her her own uniform but it took a couple months for Mona to be okay with the idea of her coming out with me and Raph. I think it was because if the fact Mona wasn't here with her but with Mona having a job as a Physics professor, she didn't have the time to come out with us a lot.

But, I wasn't worried about Molly and neither was Raph. For some reason when it came to Molly, Raph wasn't worried about her when it came to combat; he's seen her take down men twice her age and size in the past month.

The only thing Raph was protective over Molly for was boys. But, luckily he doesn't really have to worry about that when it came to Molly either because she despises boys her age.

From the disdain I've seen from her expression when boys at her school look at her when I pick her up sometimes, she finds them immature, annoying, and repulsive. Which of course couldn't make Raph happier.

But she really does do well on her own with patrols for her age. I even set up a small solo perimeter for her. It isn't too big and it wasn't too far away from me and Raph. Besides, she has a weapon, her kama, and knows how to use them and she seems to be doing well so far.

We all decided to split up and regroup in an hour before moving on.

**(Molly's POV)**

I got to the end of my perimeter.

I looked at the streets below and I still couldn't believe that I was finally able to come out here with Uncle Leo and dad. I love being out here. Going on runs over the roof tops is something that just makes me feel free. I can think, especially on my own.

I have a very select group of people that I can deal with. My uncle tells me it is something I get from both my parents. I'm just not a bigtime _people person_. Other than my family members I really don't like socializing, well mainly with people my own age.

I don't care if I have no friends at school or that my best friend is my 32 year old uncle and sensei.

People my age in general just annoy me to no end. They're so immature, superficial, and complain about stuff that doesn't even matter.

Boys my age especially repulse me. They're even more immature, disgusting, and the way I see some of them look at me makes me want to throw a smoke bomb at their face to make them think twice about wanting to come anywhere near me.

But, my mom always jokingly says that I'm just _13 going on 33._

I know I'm more mature for my age and that's what bothers me when I'm at school. When I see my classmates messing around and acting like idiots during class, it grates on me. Can't anyone just act mature or take something seriously for 5 freaking seconds?!

But, there's not really anything I can do. I'm just screwed right now. Plain and simple.

I got the corner of this rooftop and crouched down, scanning below for any activity.

As I was looking, I just got this feeling… a feeling like I wasn't alone. I almost felt something, a stare burning through the back of my head. I whipped myself around and drew out my kama.

At first I saw nothing… until I glanced up slightly at the rooftop next to me from behind my initial position. My eyes went wide initially at what, or who, I saw before returning them to their fixed concentration.

It was _him_. It was this guy. He wore almost all black and this red emblem on his back that made his allegiance obvious, Foot Clan.

But he wasn't like any other Foot soldier I've ever seen before. He looked about my age maybe a little older but he was also highly lethal. I've fought with him before. He was fast, concise, and high skilled… but so was I and I wasn't about to let some Foot soldier ninja wannabe take me down.

But, he was anything but a wannabe. He was beyond the rank of a soldier by his skill alone.

There was even something about his appearance that made him look dangerous. He had his entire face covered except for his eyes. I was looking at them now. The only thing I could see in the shadows he was trying to hide in, or not hide in.

His eyes had some quality that drew you in and warned you off at the same time. They were this piecing Amber color that I equated to a snake that wanted to take in its prey with a deadly hypnosis before striking for the kill, but I wasn't going to let that happen to me over my dead body.

We both just stood there in a standoff.

I was waiting for his move. But then… he dashed off in a blur. He was gone.

This has happened several times before since I first had that fight with him a little over a week ago. I had no idea who he was. Even our fight that one time was as peculiar as the previous times I caught him practically stalking me like prey just now.

We were fighting and it went on a pretty long time over a couple rooftops, until he leaped away from me with his swords still in his hands, tilted his head at me almost like he was studying me, and then leaped over the side of the building.

But when I looked to see where he went, he vanished.

I've never heard him speak or had any idea who he was, but I have come up with a pure and simple _nickname_ that sums him up to me… The boy in black.

But after me seeing him do this with me almost 8 straight days, I want to know what he's doing. I haven't told my uncle or my parents about this. This is something I need to figure out on my own.

I want to know what the heck is this guy's deal and why he persists with this _cat and mouse_ game.

I have to find out why.

**What did you think? This chapter is pretty much going to be a two parter just to set up the plot mainly. Again, I do not own TMNT or its characters, I just own the characters that I created expressly for the purposes of this story. Who is exactly 'the boy in black'? You'll just have to wait and see. Thanks so much for reading and please review and I hope you have a happy new year.**


	2. Outcomer part 2

**Happy New Year! Hope you enjoy this latest installment.**

**(Leo's POV)**

I was pouring water from the kettle into my cup.

I was just going about my normal morning routine. It was the same thing for me everyday mainly. I got up, took a shower, ate breakfast, and watched the news while having my usual cup of tea.

I sat down in the mainroom as I turned on the TV.

"... and there was only two injuries. In other events out in the rural suburbs the local farmers come together for their usual year ritual." Carlos says and I smirked at who the camera panned over to. "This is April Hamato reporting live at the tri-county farmer's market, which for those who don't know is the largest farmers market in the area…"

I was smiling at the TV screen.

Right when April graduated with her bachelors in journalism, she was immediately picked up by channel 6 as a field reporter, well a suburban correspondent who mainly did human interest stories; which by the way April totally hates.

She told me one time that her doing human interest stories is like taking a cheese grater to her face. But, it was something that she felt she was forced to stick with for now due to her current _family situation_.

Getting a job at channel 6 wasn't the only thing that happened after April graduated from college.

Literally a week after graduation her and Donnie got married and moved out to the small town suburbs to live closer to Kirby, who moved back into the old O'Neil family farm house that April grew up in.

The Kraang Invasion shook Kirby up pretty bad and he wanted to leave the city at whatever cost, even if it meant moving back into the house that contained the memory of April's mother, his dead wife, most strongly.

April and Donnie lived about an hour from the city and about 30 minutes from Kirby in probably the nicest house I have ever been in.

But April and Donnie getting married so quickly after April graduated wasn't as surprising as what we found out about Donnie. A year prior to them getting married, Donnie apparently received a doctorate in mechanical engineering and found a job out in the suburbs and he makes a _crazy_ amount of money as an engineer.

That was kind of a shock and also not so much that my second youngest brother was a doctor. But he also seems happy out there and so far but not entirely quite yet, Donnie and April have 3 daughters.

Well currently only two but April does have a scheduled c-section next week for their third girl; however, she refuses to stop working until the last possible moment. Which is driving Donnie crazy but that just also proves April's stubbornness too.

So far though it was just their daughters Marie and Rosalind.

Apparently Donnie and April have this deal when it comes to naming their kids. If it's a girl Donnie gets to pick the name and if it's boy then April does. April never got to and never will get a boy to name because her and Donnie have already put their child limit on 3 or if they got a boy before or as the third child.

But after their daughter Edith, the name Donnie has picked for their thrid, is born; he and April are done having kids. One time I asked April why she just let Donnie name all three of their girls since they were her children too, but she told me she just didn't really mind and that she was happy if Donnie was happy with it.

Donnie had a method behind his daughter's names though. All of them were named after his favorite female scientists; Marie Curie, Rosalind Franklin, and Edith Clark.

But the '3's the limit' thing was sort of the same with Mikey and Irma. As still totally unbelievable to me as it is that my weird, eccentric youngest brother is married and has fathered 3 children, 3 boys by the way; it is entirely true.

But, Irma made it clear that she was done too after their third. Although their boys were closer together in age than Donnie and April's girls are.

There's their oldest Anthony, who we call Tony and is 9; Thomas, or Tommy, who is 7; and Benjamin, or Benji, who is 6. Those were the most normal names ever for Mikey's kids but I knew Irma had more reign over the boys' names.

But it was kind of a trade off for what the boys have turned out to be now.

Even though the boys all got the black hair and green eyes from Irma, the boys still looked and acted so much like Mikey to the point where it sort of freaks me out slightly.

I love my nephews, they're actually really nice boys. But, just imagine how kind of insane it is that there are now three smaller versions of Mikey that exist. It actually secretly frightens me sometimes.

But that was how it was with all my brothers' kids. Even Donnie's girls looked more like him than April. Although I will admit that Marie, who's 9 like Tony, does act and think more like April and Rosalind, who is 6 like Benji, is _definitely_ Donnie's daughter both mentally as well as physically.

Even though Rosalind is only 6, she's a genius. This one time two years ago, my TV broke while Donnie over here updating the electrical system in the lair for me and my 4 year old niece found a screw driver, opened up the back of the TV, and fixed it in under 2 minutes.

Then she just looked at me, smiled, and said in the sweetest voice possible like any other girl her age, "I fixed it, Uncle Leo." She also looked so proud of herself that she did it. It was probably one of the most adorable things I have ever seen in my life and it was really sweet of her to do that for me. But Rosalind was like her father when it came to devices.

Rosalind just had the touch.

It also makes me curious about seeing how Edith turns out when she gets older.

"Hey Uncle." I whipped my head around and saw Molly standing in the entrance of the lair. "Hey, what brings you over." I say, remembering that it was a Saturday, a day Molly doesn't usually come over on.

"Uh Jimmy's football game, remember?" She says and crosses her arms like it was something I should know. My eyes went wide when I remembered what she was talking about. Jimmy did have a football game today.

Molly is the only one out of all my nieces and nephews that trains in ninjutsu, knows Raph and I are vigilantes, and also knows about the true _origins_ of her fraternal side of the family with her father, me, Mikey, and Donnie originally being mutant turtles and also her grandfather being a mutant rat for a time.

We kind of made the age for telling the kids the truth at 13 because it seemed reasonable and me nor any of my brothers want to lie to the kids forever about the true origins of where we came from.

"Oh that's right! Are your parents outside?" I ask. "Yeah, they're waiting with Jimmy in the car but sent me to get you down here." Molly explained.

"I'll be right up." I say as I take my empty cup, originally filled with tea, and put it in the sink before walking back to Molly.

Jimmy, like the rest of my nieces and nephews of course, never had an interest in learning ninjutsu and instead likes to play sports. Jimmy is a born athlete though. He plays football and wrestles during the winter and I usually try to make it to watch his events.

I like to do it. It gives me the opportunity to see my nephew and it gives me something to do.

**(Molly's POV)**

I immediately ran to my room and shut and locked my door behind me.

I looked under my bed, scanning for my… Ah, there you are. I pulled my journal out from under my bed.

For my thirteenth birthday a couple months ago, my Aunt April gave me a journal saying it was something she started to do regularly when she was my age. She told me writing was a good stress reliever for her during her middle school and high school years and I have to admit that I do kind of find it _therapeutic_, especially nowadays.

Before two weeks ago, I felt like I had almost nothing to write about… until _he _showed up, the boy in black.

Every night I encountered him, I've had new writing material. I just felt this compulsion to write about him.

After that first battle two weeks ago between us, I just had to record our encounters. He hasn't fought with me since that first encounter, but I always catch him watching, almost stalking me.

But, tonight was taken to a whole new level of frustration with me.

_**2 hours ago**_

I was at the end of my perimeter again.

It was an average night, nothing was happening, until I felt something hit the top of my head. I looked up at the sky and I felt two more hit me in the face, raindrops.

_Great_.

I was about to go back to the meeting point to regroup with my dad and Uncle Leo, when I felt that feeling in me. It was that same feeling that I've been feeling for the past two weeks.

I glanced up at where I felt the feeling originating from only to see that familiar, annoying, and mildly unsettling black blur.

I quickly pulled out my kama, gripping them firmly in each hand. I kept looking around, waiting for him to come out and ambush me. But he didn't do it. As I kept darting my gaze around, so did he.

Everytime I saw him he darted away. It was frustrating me more than anything in my life and that is saying a lot considering how my _lovely _little brother Jimmy can be sometimes.

I kept circling around myself, rain pouring down as I kept whipping my head and body around. My body was tense. I felt my pent up rage and frustration building in me when I no longer could see him, but I could still sense him.

I could feel his gaze on me.

Rain was streaking down my face and my soaked hair was clinging to my face and neck as I grit my teeth. I probably looked entirely deranged and out of my mind, which was pretty much how I felt.

But then I hit my limit. I couldn't take it anymore and finally shouted at the top of my lungs; not even caring about the number one rule of being a ninja, according to my Uncle Leo, to be silent; "WHAT DO YOU WANT?!"

I even yelled it in Japanese just incase this Foot creep didn't know English.

I may not be fluent in Japanese… yet, but Uncle Leo has been teaching me and so has my dad a little bit and I am hoping to be fluent in the future. I was still waiting for him to show his stupid, stalkery face that he always hides entirely behind with that lower facial mask and happuri.

Right after I yelled in intense frustration, I felt something soar right next to my head and stick to the wall behind my head.

I was about to look back when all of a sudden he landed in front of me. I was getting ready for him to strike. I was counting on it and I wanted an excuse to finally beat this weirdo into the ground for being a total creep and stalking me for the past two weeks.

His yumi was back over his shoulder and then something further confused me. His head was looking toward the ground and his hands were empty of weapons, except he was holding something in his right hand but I didn't know what it was… until he lifted his head back up to look at me. His happuri was still surrounding his forehead and cheeks but his lower facial armour was removed and that was what I realized he was holding in his right hand, allowing me to see his face.

I was finally face to face with the infamous, irritating, and illusive boy in black.

His expression was blank and I still refused to put away my kama. I didn't trust this guy for a second. He's been playing mind games with me for two weeks too long and I wasn't about to give in now.

Then he did something that I never expected. I saw the corners of his lips curl up into a smile as he bowed slightly to me. I felt like I was tongue tied and I was unable to speak.

But I couldn't stop myself from tilting my head at him in total confusion. There was something about him... but I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

Then he did something that further perplexed me as he just put his lower facial armor back in place and then flipped over the side of building disappearing from sight.

I stood there frozen in total confusion at what just happened until I finally turned around and saw the arrow still lodged in the brick wall. But it wasn't the arrow that had me, it was something that the arrow was pinning to the wall.

I pulled out the arrow and looked at what was on the arrow head, a piece of paper. I turned it around and saw a symbol etched into the paper. It took a second until I realized it was one of the few symbols that I knew.

It was a Japanese symbol for respect.

I was even more confused than I was to begin with. But then I got a message from my dad on my communicator and realized that I had to get going.

_**Present**_

I was taking off my soaked uniform as I put on my pajamas, but not before I pulled out that stupid piece of paper and placed it within my journal next to the entry I just wrote about tonight.

_Boy in Black, the next time I see you, I will find out what the Hell you want from me._

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter and don't worry about Leorai. All good things come to those who wait. Please tell me your thoughts on the chapter and I again wish you all a Happy New Year. (:**


	3. Divulgement

**A New Year's Eve and New Year's Day chapter. Enjoy!**

**(Molly's POV)**

My last period class finally ended as I walked out to my locker and put in my earbuds.

Once I got to my locker and opened it, I unloaded the books I didn't need. I got all my homework done for today which is a plus and for once my backpack didn't weigh a thousand pounds.

On a usual daily basis, I could probably swing my backpack at someone and cause some serious damage. "Hey Hamato!" I cringed. And right now… I felt like causing some serious damage.

I looked behind me and those three faces, and one in particular, that I especially _love_ to see daily. They were these three clods in my grade that never leave me alone. They just live to put me on edge and push my buttons.

Nick Foley, their _leader_ to put it into some tangible term, is literally the _ring leader_.

He's such a tool and he's had this weird crush on me since the 4th grade, but I want him to like me as much as I want a hole in my head.

I don't know why he doesn't get the freaking hint that I literally hate everything about him. He's immature, he _smells_, he's a bully, and he is the epitome of annoying and annoying is the last thing I need right now.

I've already beaten him up before.

Nick is one of those guys that likes to hang around the elementary school down the street, where my brother goes to school, and pick on the kids there. I even caught him picking on my brother and his friends one time.

Look as much as Jimmy annoys me sometimes, I love him. He's my 8 year old little brother and he really isn't that bad of a kid deep down. And even though both Jimmy and Nick are in the circle of people who annoy me currently, among _others_, Jimmy was my brother and he's 5 years younger and a foot shorter than Nick and if there is one thing I hate… it's people who pick on people just because they are younger, smaller, and more defenseless for no good reason.

So when Nick refused to listen to me about leaving my brother and his friends alone… I'll admit that I drove him into the ground… _hard_. I finally had an excuse to beat that slimeball into the blacktop for messing with my family.

I broke his nose and dislocated one of his arms… and man I have to admit that it felt beyond _fantastic_.

Also, he never told anyone I was the one that beat the crap out of him. It was tell on me or keep his dignity at school. If he admitted that I was the one that practically maimed him then whatever reputation he had would've totally died. So I got to beat him up and never got in trouble for it.

Win-win for me.

I was still glaring back at Nick and his _toadies_ with absolute scorn. Nick was still smiling at me… still apparently not getting it through his stupid, thick skull that I hate him and want him to stay away from me.

But, today he had mercy and didn't do anything more than call my attention.

I decided to go to the school library to return my book report book since it was on my way out the school.

As I resettled my backpack over my shoulders, I opened the main doors of the school and stepped outside. I was walking down the steps when… well, I don't know. I just got and _inclining _that something wasn't right.

I glanced slightly to my right at the old oak tree in front of the school, but that wasn't what caught my interest.

Under the tree in a pair of dark, crisp jeans, gray T-shirt, and unzipped but form fitted leather jacket… was _him_. He was leaning against the tree, staring at me with a slight smiled across his face, that was not covered by any armor currently.

_Are you kidding me? He knows where I go to school?!_

At first I was frozen and staring right back at him. But then my thoughts started to click as I approached him. This has gone on unexplained for far too long. But, then he just turned around and started to casually walk away.

I just kept following, only for him to increase his walking speed. He went from walking to jogging to running and so did I to keep up and try to catch him. I wanted to catch him and possibly beat the answer I wanted out of him.

_WHAT THE HELL_ DID_ HE WANT WITH ME?! _

Then I saw him turn a corner and then as I did… I lost him and I was stuck in an empty alley with nothing but trash cans and some dirty looking stray cat. I just stood there.

My hands slowly clenching into fists and my teeth grit together on reflex. My body was slowly starting to shake as I kicked a trash can, denting it, to get out my frustration. What… the… HELL?!

Seriously, what is wrong with this guy?! What does he want from me?

As much as I wanted to track him down and beat the answers out of him, I had to get to training with Uncle Leo and I couldn't go out on patrol tonight either. I have to watch Jimmy tonight since my parents are going to my mom's university's staff formal dinner.

But I swear I will find out what the _boy in black's _deal is.

**(Leo's POV)**

I was sitting, watching TV all alone and eating something before patrol.

This was my life.

I'm 32 years old, single... no wife, no girlfriend… and no children.

I just sighed as I kept mulling those thoughts over and over again in my brain.

* * *

><p>I was suiting up to go out on patrol and I was still reflecting on my life as I looked around the empty lair and went outside. I was on my own tonight.<p>

Raph and Mona were going out at a university dinner that Mona was speaking at and Molly was staying at home to watch Jimmy, so I didn't have her either.

I just went about my usual patrol route until eventually got to the corner of this one particular building, standing there as my eyes scanned the street below. I was back to thinking again.

My younger brothers, all happily married with families of their own… and I had nothing.

To my nieces and nephews, I knew I was just _funny Uncle Leo_. They love me I know and I love them, but I know they think I'm a little strange.

I remember several Christmases ago when Hazel and Splinter invited all of us over to their apartment for our usual family gathering and we were all laughing, talking… just having a good time.

Then Donnie and April's oldest, who was 4 at the time, climbed on my lap and she asked me this specifically, "_Uncle Leo, why don't you have a family?" _

Right after she asked me that question, everyone went silent. I swear time literally stopped right there. I was frozen. I didn't know how to respond and I looked at Donnie and April who were looking back at me embarrassed and apologetic.

But that was when I really started to reflect on my life. As weird as it was to reflect on something said by my niece, I couldn't help but see so much truth in it.

Why wasn't I married or have a family of my own?

I mean, it would've been one thing if Marie asked me that and I was some sulking, people hating man with a desire to only be left by myself at all times. But I wasn't. I liked people and out of all my brothers I wanted marriage and children the most.

I wanted it far more than any of my brothers… but I just had one small problem… I wasn't free… after all this time I am still not free of _her_.

My sisters-in-law have all tried to _set me up _in the past with friends of theirs they met at work, talking me up to them as their _handsome, single, bachelor brother-in-law_, but I couldn't do it.

I actually ran out on the first date I was set up on because I literally couldn't do it.

They just didn't understand. I wanted marriage and children, but not with just any woman. There was only one woman that I wanted that with… and I literally have no idea where she is or why she totally just cut and ran out on me all those years ago.

But, this is what I am now. This was the fate I have chosen for myself to live by because of my _stipulation_.

I am the lone wolf that walks by himself and everywhere I go looks the same to me. I have nothing to give… and nothing to share with anyone. Sometimes I wonder why I am still alive. What was the purpose to me being here? I don't want to die, but I just always wonder why exactly I exist.

I mean, I protect innocent people from the Shredder and other criminals… but other than that… I feel like a person with almost no purpose.

I kept reflecting on my thoughts, but then I sensed something. I immediately rolled out of the way and then I heard the unmistakable _stick_… I looked at this slat between the bricks on a wall and saw an... arrow?

By the way it was placed, I knew it was meant to pierce through my skull and probably would have if I didn't sense it coming.

I tried to trace the source and on top of this building about 60 feet or so above me, was this dark figure, holding what looked like a short yumi. Then the figure descended and I unsheathed my katana, ready to fight. The figure landed light on their feet.

It was… a boy?

He was dressed in all black. On his head he had a happuri on his face with a piece of facial armor attached to cover the lower half of his face and the short neat spikes of his black hair were sticking out around the top of the his head. But the sides of his head where buzzed.

He was armed too.

He had a yumi in hand and sported a yebira stocked with arrows on his back. He also had two short sheathed swords at each of his sides. He looked lean, strong, powerful, and dangerous in a way… but he was so young.

He literally was just a boy, no more than 14 years old and he looked to be entirely on his own with no one around for at least a mile. Something I would never condone for Molly and she looked near to his age too.

But after that accuracy I just saw with him though, I knew he was lethal at long distance, the yumi was _his_ weapon. We just kept looking at each other, waiting for someone to make a move. I've never seen this boy in the past, Shredder must've just brought him in.

I've literally never seen this boy before in my life, yet there was _something_ about him.

"You're good… for someone of your age. You were the first to dodge one of my arrows… but sadly you'll never do it again." He taunts slightly, and it deepened my intrigue with him.

I quirked up an eyebrow as I replied, "You're talking about age with me? Also, I didn't think Shredder was getting desperate enough for using child assassins." "I'm not a child. I'm going to be 15 in a little less than a year now." He says back with an edge to his voice.

"Oh, well excuse me Mr. _I'm so wise and worldly_. By the way... it's easy to shoot an arrow from a distance, but true bravery comes from facing your enemy." I reply back, somewhat snidely. I was getting frustrated by this boy. I felt something coming off him that was so familiar.

"Are you testing me?" He retaliates, almost flustered with me, and withdrew the two juji-ken from his sides.

I felt myself almost smiling slightly. I wasn't going to hurt him. He's just cocky boy that needs to be put in his place. I wasn't entirely criticizing. I had my moments of being cocky at his age too and also, I don't mind reinforcing some discipline.

Then he finally lunged at me to strike.

Okay… he was good… actually very good. He was advanced way beyond his years in this as we continued exchanging slashes. His movements were quick, precise, fluid, and sharp.

Not only was he lethal at long range, but also at close range.

_No wonder Shredder brought him over. He was good compared to previous hired assassins to take us down in the past decade. _

I also laughed a little to myself about how all those men he hired in the past were all shown up by this boy. Also with Bradford and Xever getting obliterated during the invasion, it only made the Foot Clan further lose its luster.

Then we locked up again, I was going at about 50% just to see what his abilities were. He was definitely good... but he still had some learning to do.

I finally saw him misplace a foot slightly and I just decided to put him in his place right there and swept his feet out from under him and quickly pinned his arms to the ground with my shins.

I held my blade to his throat, he was looking at me in disbelief. I could tell he wasn't used to losing.

I saw his facial armor fly away and then I looked down at him about to make some other remark, his eyes now showed almost... _fear_.

_Wait, those eyes... _

I literally felt everything in my body come to a complete stand still.

_No… No… This can't be… It's… I don't believe it... he looked… like me?_

No, he looked literally exactly like me! It was almost scary, like looking into a mirror. I went into a state of shock as I looked at the boy behind the whole _deadly Foot Clan assassin _facade.

I couldn't believe it.

"Hey, what's your problem, get off me!" He yelled as he continued to thrash under me and protest as I just stared at him.

Everything came together and I was in a frozen state of disbelief. Then I was pulled out my trance when I felt his elbow connect into my gut as he threw me off, ran a distance, and grabbed his facial armor.

He looked at me one last time as he replaced his facial armor. I felt like my whole body was in paralysis as I just stared at him still. Finally I got the mental and physical capacity to do something. But then I saw him pull out and drop a smoke bomb.

"Hey! Wait!" I call out, but it was too late. He was gone.

I just slumped back down on the roof as it all came crashing down on me. All of a sudden, if all my suspicions were correct about my encounter with this boy, everything made sense.

It all made absolute sense now.

But just assuming what I sure was true about this wasn't good enough. I had to get _confirmation_.

The encounter I just had gave me an idea about what I could do. This boy was still young and I highly doubt Shredder brought him here completely by himself without some certain _company_.

I looked at the time and realized something bittersweet after such a long time… If I know I'm right at this moment, I may be able to get the answers I needed from a certain absent, unpredictable yet also a creature of habit I knew all too well, _tonight_. I knew where I had to go and what I had to do.

I was going to get some answers if it was the last thing I did.

**({No POV})**

The tenement was dark with only the moon as a source of light.

The structure was still as run down as it was all those years ago.

It appeared to be empty until a figure slipped through the window. It was an old _occupant_ who had only recently started taking up coming to their old stomping ground, Karai.

She walked more into the room only to taken entirely by surprise when she was side swiped and pinned against the wall. She was about to retaliate when she all of a sudden looked like she saw a ghost.

In a way she did. It was as close enough to a ghost in her mind as she stared into the tempting ocean blue eyes that were still engraved into her memory from the past. She couldn't speak or move or anything as she continued to give into the shock.

But she didn't need to speak.

"You have a lot of explaining to do for me, right now… _Karai_." Leonardo says to the point, absolutely determined.

**See… I told you **_**Leorai**_ **would come up sooner or later like I promised. Please tell me your thoughts and I hope you are enjoying the official first day of 2015. **


	4. Clarification

**The long awaited explanation you will not want to miss. Enjoy!**

**(Leo's POV)**

As much as I was furious with her right now, I also couldn't deny how much I dreaded and longed for this moment at the same time.

Ever since she left, that dream of her and I together and her disappearing in the mist plagues my mind and taunts me almost nightly. Even now as a 32 year old man she still taunted me in my thoughts and dreams 24/7.

But she was no longer that girl from my memory.

She was still herself without a doubt, but she _changed_.

That girl I remembered was now replaced by this woman. She looked more acclimate, mature, and stronger in a way… she was even more beautiful than I remembered.

But I had to remind myself of my purpose here. She's kept something from me for far too long and I was going to get some answers. She put up that flustered front that I remembered so well as she turned her attention away from me.

"Explain… now." I repeated. She was still refusing to look at me.

I was sick of being in the dark. I didn't care how long this was going to take. I was going to get what I came here for... even if it took forever.

I continued to stare her down, waiting for her response. Then she finally looked at. Her Amber eyes connected with mine for the first time in a decade and a half. I felt that familiar feeling resonate in me that has been dormant in me for so long until this moment.

Although it has been such a long time, I felt myself still getting entirely captivated by those eyes.

Eventually I was brought back when I felt her push me off her and she walked a little ways away from me. Her arms crossed and her back was turned as she bluntly replied, "Explain what?"

I immediately felt my brain twitch in frustration.

_So… Karai wants to feign ignorance. Well, she isn't the only one who can play this game._

I wasn't going to hold back now. If Karai wants to play games with me _still_… I can _still_ handle it.

"Oh okay Karai, I'll tell you what, let's start at the very beginning, shall we? Just to make everything _so_ much more clear." I start. I was going to let her have it. "Fifteen years ago, it was November and my life was completely perfect and then you just totally vanished out of nowhere. Leaving me hanging in the most frustrating and painful way possible and me having no idea why you just randomly up and left with no warning and never came back. Then, guess what? This part is my _favorite_, really giving this story so much substance. Tonight I was going about my patrol when I encountered the _latest addition_ to the Foot Clan."

I stopped for a second when I saw her body tense up as her back was still turned.

"Then I had a quick _bout_ with him and somehow his mask flew off and it gave me the biggest plot twist I've witnessed in my whole life. Oh, you'll just never guess what happened next. I realized it was a boy that seemed to fit the time frame of your absence, but wait… there's more! Now this part is _great_, he looked exactly like me with the exception of the eyes… _your_ eyes. So… care to let me in now?" I inquire as I approach her.

I tried to walk in front of her only for her to keep turning her back to me.

Well, one thing was still entirely the same. She's still as guarded as ever.

I decided to help her _response _along. "Now… I'm pretty damn sure about it, but I'm going to ask anyway. Is that boy my son?" I inquire, her response to it was not a choice. I was expecting one whether she wanted to give me one or not.

But after 15 years of her inadvertently lying to me, I think it was high freaking time she gave me an explanation.

"Why do you need my_ input _if you're so sure then?" She retorts, her walls still up as high as ever as she finally turned to look at me. Her expression was harsh and defensive. Almost like she was a cornered or caged animal.

I was finished with her trying to avoid stepping on eggshells around this.

I sized her up, using my now even more apparent size advantage over her.

I narrowed my eyes at her and crossed my arms before demanding, "Because I need to hear it from your lips. I need to hear you admit it. So… I'll ask again. I'll even say it slowly. Is… he… my… son?" I was waiting for it.

She glanced away from me again, causing my eyebrows to furrow in frustration.

"Yes." She replied, almost inaudibly.

"I didn't hear you. Say it… so I can hear you." I was not in the mood for deterrents and games from her anymore.

She finally looked back at me. Her eyes intensely boring into mine and she said in frustration with my persistence, "YES! He's your son, Leo. HAPPY?!" "No… I'm not." I reply bluntly.

"What else do you want from me, Leo?! I told you what you wanted. He's our son. End of story." She retorts getting in my face.

"No it isn't. You lied to me about the existence of a human being, our son, and never even thought of telling me." I retaliate. "It wasn't as simple as that Leo." She replies. "Oh really?" I reply a little snidely.

She ignored my comment and said, "Look, when I found out I was pregnant, I thought it was my concern since I was the one taking care of the _precautions_, which didn't _take_ and…" "Oh, you don't say?" I knew that seems pretty snarky for me to say right now, but I was beyond angry.

"Look Leo, it was my fault and I owned up to taking care of the situation." She retorts defensively.

I stared her down before saying, "_It takes two to tango_, Karai." "Are you quite finished or are you going to keep intruding on my explanation?" She snaps slightly, getting frustrated with me. I was silent before I crossed my arms again. "Go on." I say.

"So… I thought it would be best if I went away, so I went back to Japan to take care of business for the Clan and raised him in the Foot Clan dojo in the mountains where I grew up. I trained and taught him on my own. That's all… that's it… that's all of it." She concludes bluntly.

It was quiet between us as I processed everything.

But then I realized something, something important that I just had to ask about. I had to know.

"What's his name?" I ask. She glanced away from me again until she looked at me a little out of the corner of her eye, her arms still crossed. Then she gave me the information I wanted to know, "Kaito. Oroku Kaito."

I felt myself frown internally at the thought that came into my head and I couldn't help but let it escape from my inner monologue, "He could've been Hamato Kaito, you know?" She gave me an incredulous look. I could tell she still didn't entirely see my perspective at the moment.

"He's my son too Karai and also my responsibility. Why didn't you tell me?" I meant it. This wasn't just the fact that she just total vanished from me without a trace 15 years ago. It was the fact that we had a son all this time and she never told me.

"I saw no point in it. I mean, really? Would you have seriously just dropped everything because of it?" She asks, almost taunting and annoyed. "Yes, that's exactly what I would've done." I reply in absolute honesty.

Then she all of a sudden pointed at me and yelled in frustration, "SEE! That! You always do that!" "Do what?" I reply, confused by her coarse response.

"You always have to be so _perfect_ all the time, don't you? You always have to be gallant, Mr. Perfect Leonardo all the time... and that was why I didn't tell you and in my shame I ran off. But, now that's all thrown out the window. You see my shame now. I have no shame anymore in being found out because I am found out." She says and looks away from me again.

"Shame? I see no shame in the creation of this human being, _our _son. And yes, I do mean what I said. You could've told me and I could've done something. It's called being responsible, Karai." I reply.

"Well, it's kind of too late now to change the past in case you haven't noticed." She retorts.

It was silent between us.

"Does your father know?" I ask, knowing she'd catch my drift.

"No, he knows nothing about Kaito's father, nor did he ask. I thought he was going to kill me for bringing _shame upon the Clan _to begin with for getting pregnant, but my father didn't even say anything but just asked what I was planning to do. After that I was not going to chance anything else by elaborating, considering everything. Then when my father found out I had a boy he could not have been more pleased by the fact that he got the son he always wanted and that Kaito still kept the Oroku name going by me not being married and Kaito taking my husband's name." She explained.

_That could've been us. _

"Did you ever?" I ask, knowing she'd know what I was hinting to. I was curious. She looked taken aback by my question, but I had to know.

"No… I had no desire or need to. Besides, after raising Kaito… and…you, I..." She stopped and glanced away from me. Almost on reflex, I reached out my hand and rested it on the side of her face.

Her eyes wide as she slowly looked back at me, my thumb slowly and carefully brushed over her cheek. I'll admit that I'm still infuriated with her about lying and running out on me, but there was still something gnawing at the back of my brain that resurfaced a deeply repressed feeling, or feelings.

As angry as I felt with her, I wanted her, I needed her, and above all that… I was still in love with her. I didn't realize it but I approached her only to get her between me and one of the tenement walls.

I felt like I was going completely on instinct with my motives.

She was looking at me wide eyed as I started to lean in. It was a compulsion, a want, a need to connect with her. So far, she wasn't doing anything to stop me. Karai's a highly trained kunoichi whose skill, like mine, has probably gotten even better over the years and yet, she was just allowing my advances.

But as I got closer, I heard a crack and then I felt it hit me as I started coughing and my vision clouded.

SERIOUSLY?! HOW MANY TIMES DOES IT TAKE FOR ME TO LEARN?! Blinding powder was pretty much always Karai's solution to every situation that wasn't going her way. But even in my hazy recovery from the powder at this moment, I had one clear thought when I noticed Karai was now gone from the room.

_Karai, if you think I'm done with you… then you have another thing coming. _

**(Karai's POV)**

I practically tore off my uniform and threw it in the corner of the room. I changed into my usual night attire before I tried to walk out of my room as controlled as possible. I had to have some tea to calm down.

There was no way I could sleep right now, not after _recent events _that just transpired.

Even though I looked composed as I sipped my tea slowly at the table off the kitchen, my mind was exploding.

I knew it! I knew this was going to happen!

A little over fourteen years ago I had a set situation in Japan, all things considered, when I had Kaito. As the years past, I was hoping my father would either solve or come to terms with his now seemingly pointless vendetta, at this point to me, against Hamato Yoshi; only to still fail.

Now it was 15 years after I left New York, still just Kaito and I living in the mountains, when I received a call from my father about a month after Kaito turned 14. Him saying he wanted to summon Kaito to his dojo in Tokyo to _survey his progress_.

Even though I knew what it meant if my father was pleased with Kaito's skills, and I knew he would have been, saying 'no' to my father was something I still couldn't do. It would have raised so many suspicions if I told my father I wasn't going to send him.

Then my worst nightmare was stirred up when Kaito came back saying we were going to New York.

I was dreading it.

Not only because of me possibly running into _you know who_, but _you know who _seeing my biggest secret; Kaito, our son. But, as the saying goes… _the shit has hit the fan_. And tonight it went beyond hitting the fan.

Leo knew right away like I was figuring he would when he learned of Kaito's existence. Sure Leo is entirely perceptive, but you don't exactly need to be a _genius_ to see the heavy resemblance between Kaito and Leo.

Kaito's my son, and I care about him more than anything... even my own life, but his resemblance to Leo has always frightened me.

If it weren't for Kaito having my eyes, he would be literally a carbon copy of Leo. Kaito looked exactly the 16 year old Leo from my memory before I saw him again tonight.

Leo still looked like himself… but he wasn't that 16 year old guy anymore. He was this powerful, strong, and handsome man.

After all these years, Leo still haunted my memories and Kaito made the memories even more apparent. Tonight was so confusing for me. As much as I wanted to be mad at Leo for attacking me verbally because of me ditching and lying to him, which I know from when I felt my stomach twisting up painfully at me for running away from him like a coward.

I still couldn't deny the _attraction_ I felt to Leo. I don't know if it was just the emotional barrage my brain was enduring, but I found Leo even more good looking, sexy, and desirable than from what I remembered. He was still that ultimate fantasy that I desired all that time ago. Ugh, it's so complicated. What am I supposed to...

"Mother?" I looked next to me and saw Kaito, still in his patrol attire, looking at me slightly in concern. His hand was on my shoulder.

Look, Kaito is my son too and he had his tendencies in certain situations where he acted like me, but he also was Leo internally. He shared literally almost everything with Leo.

Kaito has Leo's compassionate tendencies, the mannerisms, and that smile... Seriously, how my father has not connected the dots between Leo and Kaito, I will never even know.

"Are you okay mother? You look kind of... _tense_." He says, still concerned. I just covered it up and replied, "No, nothing's wrong." "Are you sure? You can tell me. You can trust me." He replies.

When it comes to family, Kaito is the epitome of honorable. Kaito would do literally almost anything to defend his family and honor.

I tried to force a smile and put a hand on his shoulder and rubbing it slightly from my place at the table. Ever since Kaito was born, something in me... _changed_. I won't deny that to myself. But also... I love my son.

"I know. But it's nothing to bother you about and it really isn't anything to worry about. Besides, I was about to turn in anyway and… I think you should too." I say and he cracked a smile at me as he bowed his head to me and then walked away toward his room.

Look, what am I going to say to him? Since I never thought I would ever be returning to New York, I gave Kaito an _explanation_ about his father that I can't really take back, so as long as Kaito doesn't come into contact with Leo again for a while, I have time.

I just hope I have enough time to prepare for the probable scorn my son will have toward me when he finds out the truth… which I know will be inevitable at some stage.

**I hope you enjoyed the complicated Leorai interaction. What will Leo do? What will happen now that Kaito is play? I really can't thank you all enough for all the great feedback you have given for the "Flirting with the Enemy" Trilogy. I thank you all literally from the bottom of my heart. Please tell me your thoughts and I hope you have a good night.**

**-Dexter1995**


	5. Ingress

**Thank you all so much for the great feedback on the last chapter. Leorai has officially returned and I hope you enjoy the latest installment. This chapter occurs a day after the previous one.**

**(Molly's POV)**

I couldn't go to training today.

I had to finish up an English essay so I decided to finish it up before going home so then I could go on patrol tonight.

I wasn't able to last night due to babysitting my brother. Actually it usually wasn't hard to watch Jimmy most of the time. All I have to do is flick on a sports game or professional wrestling something and he's occupied.

I also spent most of last night wondering, writing; trying to figure out the boy in black and what his motives were for playing a little mental warfare with me.

I just finished my essay and I was about to drop stuff off at my locker. "Help? Anyone? I'm getting really claustrophobic and I really have to pee." I groaned to myself when I heard that familiar nasally, muffled voice.

Then I saw a locker shake, Gary's locker.

I rolled my eyes as I walked over to the locker. "Gary, it's me." I say. "Ugh… hi Molly, can you help me out… please?" He asks, hesitantly. This usually happens at least once a week, although it hasn't happened since the school year started 2 months ago, I wonder what's the occasion?

Nick and his _gutless wonder_ followers, Mark and Wyatt, have a habit of picking on easy targets. Exhibit A, Gary Hagensen.

Gary Hagensen is a short, scrawny, weak, dweeby guy that's in my grade and whom I've been in school with since kindergarten. He's literally the most pathetic human being I've ever seen.

He's a foot shorter than I am and has the bone density of a chicken and it seems like he always has something wrong with him. He has horrible asthma, terrible sinus issues, extremely bad acne, and a million other things I can't even begin to list.

But other than that… I really have nothing against him. He's a little strange but he is quiet like me and actually listens in class.

We wouldn't really consider each other _friends_ or anything to any extent. All the other people in Gary's _dweeb circle_ are all terrified and intimidated by me and usually try to avoid me at all times even though I've never done anything to them.

Except Gary, I mean I can tell he's afraid of me too, but we kind of have a _symbiotic relationship_, like a rhino and an oxpecker bird.

He hides behind me in the hallways during passing period to avoid being tormented by Nick and he rigs stuff in Nick's locker. Gary's apart of the av club and science club, so he usually always comes up with awesome ways to give Nick a little _payback _for bothering both of us.

"Combo?" I reply, ready to bail him out again.

For a guy who is good at hacking into lockers from the outside, Gary can not figure out how to unlock it from the inside. Gary let out a nasally sign before snorting up some snot stuck in his nose before saying, "20-7-15."

I punched in the combo.

Immediately when I opened the door and he wiggled his way out. He looked at me and sneezed on me almost on contact. I was frozen in disgust and shock as I was trying to not totally flip out.

"Molly…" He snorted back more snot and then continued, "Molly, I'm…" I put a hand up as I took in and let out a deep breathe. "No, stop… just... go." I say, trying to make him go away before I totally flip out on him for sneezing his gross dweeb snot all over me.

Seriously?! Didn't his parents teach him how to freaking cover his mouth and nose like a normal person?! He immediately ran away from me seeing my rage building. I didn't know what else to do but slam Gary's open locker shut as hard as I can.

Then I went to the bathroom to wash whatever of Gary's snot that I could off my skin before going home, then me contemplating whether I should boil my clothes after probably the most disgusting thing that has ever happened to me.

Now you see what I mean by my classmates suck if the best one I could think of just totally blew his snot all over me without making any attempt to stop himself from sneezing in my direction.

* * *

><p>I needed patrol after today.<p>

I got sneezed on by Gary and Nick kept blowing spitballs into the back of my head to get my attention and annoy me during study hall today and I caught my brother in my room looking through my drawers like a little sneak.

The only thing that gives Jimmy an excuse though is that he's my brother; my blood. Also, he's 8 and it's his job to annoy me like an 8 year old brother is naturally supposed to do to his older sister. Let's just say Jimmy would have to do something pretty bad for me to want to totally beat him down.

I was going about my thing, glad for the outside air to clear my head.

I was at the end of my perimeter again. I was hoping and hoping it wouldn't happen but then I heard the most silent footfall ever behind me, causing me to grit my teeth.

Oh no freaking way, is this going down too today.

I immediately pulled out my kama and threw one in the direction I'm sure where he was behind me as I spun around only to see none other than that creeptastic Foot jerk, the boy in black, who has still been in hot pursuit of practically stalking me for 3 weeks now.

He practically pulled a _matrix_ stunt with my kama as it just breezed over where it originally was before returning to my hand like a boomerang effect.

He re-erected his back as he just stood there casually, crossing his arms, almost mockingly from my perspective. I'd had it.

I pointed one of my kama at him and I immediately let the words flow out after waiting for the chance to say this to his face since pretty much two weeks ago, "Okay, I don't know who you think you are or what your freaking deal is? But I want you to listen up right now and listen good. So far in my life I have a little brother that annoys me at home and a repulsive slimeball that annoys me at school… I do not need some creeptastic, irritating Foot fungus to annoy me on patrol! So, I'm going to say this once… either fight me or leave me alone!" I was literally at my breaking point.

Hasn't my day been crappy enough?!

His hands were empty as he put them up in a mock surrender, his face was still covered by his mask. "Why would I do that when I just want to talk?" He replies, I could tell he was smiling under that stupid facial armor piece.

This was the first time I've ever heard him speak.

I gave him a weirded out look and I still felt entirely angry and confused. "Talk? You mean you've been practically stalking me for 3 weeks... and all you wanted to do was talk?! I don't know what ass backwards place you came from exactly. But, usually when people want to talk they usually just say hi." I point out snidely, still wanting him to go away.

He chuckled as he took off his mask and then clipped it to the side of his utility belt. That smile I remembered seeing that one time in the rain was plastered to his face again.

"Yeah, I can do things that are _unconventional_ at times." He vaguely defends. "Well if by unconventional you mean totally creepy, weird, and annoying then yes you are so _that_." I retort, still keeping my kama at the ready.

He let out a laugh as he glanced away before looking back to me and walking closer in slow but sure strides. I wasn't going to give in to this guy. I'll rip off all his limbs individually if he even tries anything funny with me.

"Well, I guess that's fair enough. I like to think I'm honorable so let's start over. Hi, my name's Kaito. I know your Molly." He says and bows his head to me.

So the boy in black's name is revealed… Kaito. I didn't respond at first but then my eyes wided before I knit my eyebrows together.

"How do you know my name?" I demand, also in slight shock. He's literally the biggest stalker ever that he stalked me outside my school, watches me on patrol every night… and now he knows my name?!

I was just so beyond confused and angry at the same time. There was also seriously something about this guy and I couldn't figure it out... and it was driving me crazy!

"I heard some guy at your school call you that." He responds casually. His Amber eyes reflected two things as he continued to study and smile at me, amusement and slight mischief.

Finally I was able to come up with a come back, "Look _Kaito_… answer my question. What do you want from me?" I was fed up.

"Just as I said, talk. I've never met anyone else like you before." He explains, smiling at me.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes before retorting, "Look if this you trying to flirt with me right now then save it. What? Are you going to say something else totally cliche while you're at it too? Like; _I hope you know CPR, because you took my breathe away_. Or maybe you'll say the _classic_ line of; _If I could rearrange the alphabet, I'd put U and I together._"

"I meant as a warrior." He replies, still grinning at me. I rose an eyebrow in confusion as I tilted my head at him.

He smiled at me still and elaborated, "I mean it. Everyone else our age thinks they can be a ninja if they can throw a half-ways decent kick or wield a weapon with mediocrity but there's an art to it… and I can tell you have it." He says.

Wait... did he just… _compliment_ me?

As if it couldn't get worse, something happened that has never occurred with me in my life, I was blushing.

I knew I was too. One my face felt like it was burning, two my heart rate picked up slightly, and three because Kaito was looking at me grinning ear to ear. I tried to maintain defiance as I made an attempt to recollect myself and put away my kama hesitantly as I crossed my arms.

"I was trained by my parents and grandfather a bit; but I was mostly trained by my uncle." I explain.

"I'm guessing your uncle is skilled to an extent considering?" He comments and motions to me. I respond immediately, "My uncle is the best of the best. He's the one that took down the mothership in the alien invasion 15 years ago."

Kaito raised an eyebrow at me in almost intrigue, still holding that grin as he spoke again, "Really?"

I smirked back and replied, "Trust me, he is the real deal. What about you? I'm guessing you come from a long line of dark horse Foots?" He snorted out a laugh and replied, "You could say that. Let's just say it's in my blood."

I connected the dots in my head, only to figure out he was the Shredder's grandson from his statement. Which I guess isn't entirely too surprising.

So I said in reply, "What do you know? The Foot Prince exists. That must've been rough training with Shredder." "Actually I never trained with my grandfather." He says. "So you trained with your parents I'm guessing?" I reply.

"Well, my mother taught me. I never knew my father, but according to my mother he was one of the most skilled ninjas she's ever seen. But… at least I can see I'm not the only _legacy_ who exists." He comments as I felt my back hit a wall.

Kaito was standing within less than a foot of me and for once in my life, I was speechless.

"Well, it was nice talking with you and... I think we should do this again sometime." He says before he jumped to the edge of the building and looked back at me as he replaced his facial armor.

"See you around… Molly." He said and then he did something almost like an exclamation point before diving over the side; he winked at me.

I was alone.

I was frozen as I was trying to process what just happened. I was in deep thought until Uncle Leo sent me an alert to meet back with he and my dad at our staring point.

_**The Next Day**_

**(Leo's POV)**

_What am I going to do?_

"Uncle?"

_I can't just stop thinking about this._

"Uncle?"

_This isn't something I can just brush off. I have a son._

"UNCLE?!"

I was whiplashed out of my thoughts to see Molly in the doorway of the dojo. I was looking at her as I was trying to settle back into reality.

"Oh, sorry. What's going on?" I ask. "Dad's here so I'm going… are you okay, uncle?" Molly asks, looking slightly weirded out and concerned. I smiled at her as I approached her and put my hand on her shoulder.

"No, I'm fine. I just need to meditate. I'll see you on patrol later tonight." I assure and she gave me a hug before walking away.

* * *

><p>I was just laying on my bed staring at the ceiling after my patrol as my thoughts were still circling my head that new information I just found out two days ago.<p>

I had a son. I actually had a son... Kaito.

Okay, on the upside, I finally had the answers to all my questions for why she left 15 years ago. But, now I have all sorts of new ones that make the old ones seem like nothing.

But all of them could be summed up into one… what do I do?

This isn't just a small thing like in the past.

This is about a person, my son. My son that has no idea that I'm his father. All because of Karai's decision to just… ugh, as much as I wanted to hate Karai for what she did to me and robbing me of the opportunity of raising our son when he was younger, I couldn't.

It just adds to the problem.

After all the games and mental tortures she's inflicted on me over the time I've know her, long and short term… I'm still completely in love with her.

As upset as I am, I could never hate her.

Although, her words of why she left me are still burning in an inferno of anger in my brain. She told me the reason she felt that raising Kaito was her responsibility was because of the fact that she was the one taking care of the _precautions_ whenever we had sex.

It brought up the memory of that first night we were intimate.

We were about to go there and I was about to say that I didn't have anything when she just shushed me and told me these exact words, "_Don't worry, Leo… I have it all taken care of."_

And me being the stupid, ignorant, sex driven, and blindly in love 16 year old teenager that I was then, I stupidly just trusted her word without a second thought.

Obviously now what she was doing then, which I assumed was some kind of _birth control method_ that I had no idea what it was, didn't work eventually and Kaito was conceived as a result.

I felt my body tense up as a recent memory was captured in my head from the first and only time I have seen Kaito so far.

It was still so uncanny how much Kaito favored me.

But it wasn't just his looks… I also couldn't believe his skill. He's only 14 and he was able to do all those things in combat himself. He was way beyond my skill level at his age and I was very good at his age too.

Then again, if you think about it, Kaito is literally a natural born ninja.

His mother, and sensei, is a highly trained kunoichi and me, his father, is a highly trained ninja.

Not only that, from the minimal information I knew about Karai's origins, Karai's parents and Kaito's maternal/biological grandparents, were also consistent of a ninja and kunoichi.

That was the only piece of information I actually knew about Karai's mother, that and she used to be Shredder's second in command of the Foot Clan before they were even married or had Karai. And even beyond that the Shredder's lineage came from generations of ninjas.

But the point is that Kaito had ninjutsu in his genetic code and so the fact that he is already so skilled at such a young age is not that surprising.

With Karai and now Kaito in the picture… I just didn't know what to do.

I felt even more lost than I did before. As much as I wished I could figure this out on my own. I couldn't. For the second time in my life… I had nothing. No plan, no course of action. Just like when I was initially facing down the mothership by myself when I was 17.

Well, I think I'll just have to bite the bullet and go find some much needed advice or at least someone I can trust to hear what I have to say… and I knew what I had to do now.

**Looks like both Molly and Leo are in a bind. What will Molly do and more importantly; what will Leo do? Thanks for reading and reviews are always appreciated. **


	6. Interregnum

**Thanks again for all the great feedback. You are all amazing. I hope you enjoy this latest chapter.**

**(Leo's POV)**

There was no way to avoid it. This was something I had to do.

I put on my jacket as I went to the garage and then I took a long look at my bike.

When I was in my early to mid twenties and my brothers and sensei were moved out, leaving me alone, my only way of visiting most of them is roof top jumping, which isn't really a good idea to do in broad daylight, so I have a more _normal_ motive of transportation so I didn't have to take a bus for everything.

For my 23rd, and my brothers' as well, birthday; Donnie got me, well made me, a present.

Donnie found this one beat up motorcycle in a junkyard, and since Donnie's favorite hobby nowadays is fixing old cars and repairing good as new to be sold and puts toward college fund money for his daughters, he remade this motorcycle for me to use so I would mainly be able to come out to visit he and April out in the suburbs whenever I wanted.

I really like my bike. I get compliments from people when I take it out.

Well, there's no excuses anymore. I have to do it for the sake of my sanity and a million other things.

_**Later that day**_

**(Molly's POV)**

I was in my room, still writing about that strange encounter with the boy in black from last night… except now there's a name; Kaito.

And because there's that one other piece of information I also figured out that he's also the Shredder's grandson, which surprisingly isn't the thing that's unsettling to me.

Why did he stalk me for practically 3 full weeks only approach me last night and him telling me that he just wants to talk to me? I don't know why it was bothering me so much.

He isn't the first person to ever get under my skin. I mean, he's definitely the first to practically stalk me… but, I just have no idea what to think about any of this. Kaito has driven me practically to the brink of insanity and I should just want to totally wring his neck… but… I just don't know.

I've never felt this confused, annoyed, and flustered all at the same time ever.

I was trying to connect the dots between everything. I kept flipping back and… my eyes went wide.

_No… no…_ "No. Where did it…"

"Looking for this?" I looked up and I felt my stomach drop when I saw none other than that little pain with his lips curled up in a victorious and taunting smirk at me; my _lovely_ little brother Jimmy.

In his hand was what I was missing from my journal. It was the index card size piece of paper with a hole, from an arrow previously, punctured through its center with a Japanese symbol etched into it, the one _he _gave me that one time during the storm.

At first I felt frozen until I was slowly figuring out the correct response once I grasped what he did to get what was currently in his grubby, sneaky little hands.

"Give… that… back." I grind out through my teeth as I stared him down. "Not until you give me some reasons to give it back. Did your _boyfriend_ from your diary give this to you?" He inquires slyly.

My hands were shaking, my teeth gritted tightly in my mouth, my eyebrows were knit as close together as possible as I finally got up and stared him down.

He did not just read my journal… AND KAITO IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND! My hands were shaking as I clenched them into fists. Okay… I love him… He's my brother… But he's crossed the line between love and hate… That's it.

I'm going to kill him.

_**5 minutes earlier**_

**(Raph's POV)**

"Hey, easy killer. The kids might walk in; we can do _that_ later." She teases trying to make me stop what I was doing.

I was hugging her from behind and kissing either side of her neck in the kitchen. Yeah, like that's going to make me stop. "Well, then I'll stop if I hear 'em come down. C'mon you've been at that convention all weekend… don't tell me you didn't miss me either?" I say slyly in her ear.

Mona and I have been married for almost 14 years… man I still like saying that she's all mine.

The fact that she married me and had two kids with me is still a crazy idea… even though Molly wasn't expected at all and was one of the factors to getting married earlier than usual, it didn't matter.

I mean seriously, let's be real. It was gonna happen with us eventually and we just thought it was better all around, especially for Molly, to be married before she was even born.

We didn't want her to feel like she some completely unplanned thing we didn't want at all. I love my daughter. Actually I love both my kids equally. And my _wife_…

Besides all those things I thought about Mona just now made her that much more sexy to me.

I'm proud of all of it. I even have the bragging rights on the site for having the hottest wife/girlfriend out of every guy I work with.

She glanced over her shoulder, stopping her process of washing the dishes from dinner, that I should be helping her with but I don't really care right now. She smirked at me as she turned around and put her hands on my shoulders.

One of her hands smoothed up and down my chest while the other teasingly wove into my hair. I grinned at her. After pretty much 16 years of being together, I'm still completely into her if not even more than the first night I saw her.

Though we'll admit we're a weird married couple.

We're… well she's 33 and I'm 32 right now, but we've never had a better… well we both still _keep each other happy_ if you know what I mean. But not just in _that_ way. Mona and I just had an overall great relationship, unlike a lot of guys' from Jimmy's team's parents who either split or stayed together and totally hate each other.

We're a good team with the kids and we still, after 16 years, get along as great if not better than when we first started dating.

I'm seriously the luckiest guy in the world.

I'm still as if not more in love with her than day one of me figuring out how I felt about her. She's just playing with me and teasing me right now like she usually does. Some things never change and not that I'm complaining. I love it when she plays with me. It makes me want her that much more.

"Don't be so full of yourself, _darling_." She says as she brushes her hand through my hair again, still smiling at me.

I smirked at her and thinking of what's _definitely_ going to happen later tonight. I'd be fine with almost anything, but I'm hoping for a certain _thing_ tonight.

Some people like talking dirty, I love it when she just starts _talking smart_ to me. It's so weird that I like it, but I love hearing her just whispering random smart stuff into my ear, that she probably says during her physics lectures, but it just really gets me going for some weird reason.

"Whatever you say, _darling_." I reply and start to lean in to kiss her and her reciprocating the same thing.

I was about to give her a little _sneak preview_ for later when, "Get back here you little fungus! YOU ARE SO DEAD!"

We both separated immediately and were confused when Jimmy shot into the kitchen, but not before Molly tackled him to the floor holding one of her kama in front of his face. "Molly, lay off!" Jimmy yells trying to shift her off.

"HEY!" I yell and tear them apart. Holding one of them up in either hand to separate them.

"Molly, you need cool down. Now what's going on here?" I wanted answers and I was trying to get Molly to relax. She was trying to cool off but she was looking at Jimmy with absolute hate, something I could relate to from when I was younger with Mikey.

But it was rare for Jimmy and Molly to get in an actual fight like this.

Jimmy spoke up to me, "Dad, Molly punched me."

"Oh, like you didn't have it coming you sneaky little nark." Molly spits out and then Mona immediately responds, "Hey, get back in the knife box little miss sharp." I looked at Jimmy and didn't notice until I saw some swelling starting just below his right eye.

Mona was looking at Jimmy who was still holding his wound trying to hold back from crying or screaming a little in pain, trying to look tough, but also because of a rule.

We have a rule in our house: _If you're screaming, then there better be blood shed_. It was mostly to make our kids stop screaming constantly when they were little and playing outside and me and Mona always having to run out to see them screaming and no one even hurt.

So we laid down the law that Mona labeled the _Boy who cried Wolf _law.

Mona looked worried about Jimmy and then looked at Molly with a stern expression on her face. I was looking at Molly the same way too.

"Molly Lisa Hamato, what have we told you about weapons and fighting in the house?" Mona says, and just by her using the full name tactic, Molly's expression faltered slightly, seeing that she could be in serious trouble.

As much as I was focusing on trying to be assertive with Mona right now, I couldn't help but find her looking even more sexy when she was this way.

"In self defense only am I allowed to use them." She replies but she still looked angry.

"See? You know the rule. So, why did you hit Jim?" I demand as I cross my arms and give her _the look_. "But mom, dad; Jimmy snuck into my room, looked through my stuff, and read through my journal behind my back." She says, explaining her actions.

Mona and I immediately shift our attention behind us to look at Jimmy, only to see him no longer there and sprinting up the stairs to avoid getting in trouble.

"JIMMY!" Mona yells at the bottom of the stairs as I stayed with Molly in the kitchen.

"James Leonardo! Get down here right now!" Mona waited and then started again, I saw a slight smile on her face and I knew what was coming next, "James, if you aren't down here in 10 seconds then you're gonna get it! 10...9...8...sev…" Then Jimmy shot down the stairs.

I smirked to myself at her oldest trick in our book still working.

We both approached Jimmy, giving him the sternest looks we could possibly have. "Jim, what's the first rule of the house?" I ask, taking my cue. This was a rule I made that Mona totally agreed with me on when we had both Molly and Jimmy.

It was something I wish would have been a more enforced rule with me and my brothers when we were kids and even teenagers, especially with Mikey constantly going into my room and taking my stuff without asking.

That was why I especially felt Molly's side of the struggle right now. I smirked at the thought in my head. _There's no denying it, Molly's her father's daughter._ Although usually that girl is so much like her mother too.

But when Molly was mad… she's almost all me.

"Respect privacy and property." Jimmy mutters as he looked at the floor, angry that he was the one in trouble now.

Jimmy; however, is almost entirely me. He's a lot like how I used to be when I was younger and I would've probably looked almost exactly like him when I was a kid too if I wasn't a mutant at his age.

"That's right, now what do you have to say to your sister?" I say and point to Molly. Jimmy drags his feet to Molly who was staring daggers into him still. Jimmy glanced back at Mona and I only for us to cross our arms and nod, expecting him to apologize.

Then Jimmy started to begrudgingly say through his teeth, "Molly…. sorry I read your stupid…." "James, like you mean it." Mona corrects as she cuts him off in his bad apology.

Like I said, he's my son completely. I sucked at apologies too, especially with my brothers when I was younger.

"Molly, I'm _sorry_ I went into your room and… read your dumb diary." "It's a journal." Molly cuts in. "Whatever, I'm sorry." Jimmy says, still angry about being busted and forced to apologize to Molly.

"I forgive you." Molly says, but scorn was still written all over her face. She may look like me. But when she had looks like that on her face, she looked so much like Mona.

Jimmy looked back at us. I looked toward Mona and nodded to give her the lead.

"James, you're grounded for a week. No TV, no videogames, and no hanging out with friends; you go to school, football practice, and come straight home." Mona lays out. Jimmy groaned as he hung his head and said, "Yes mom," before trudging up the stairs to his room.

Molly was smirking at him and was about to go up stairs too.

"Hey hold up there bruiser, you're not off the hook yet." I say and she sighed before looking back at us. I waited until Jimmy was in his room.

"Molly, do you understand why we were mad?" Mona inquires. "Yes mom." Molly replies, looking down.

"Molly, you gotta be better with your anger and not lash out like that. Take it from me. I had your anger and 3 brothers… it wasn't a good combo. Just promise when you see Uncle Leo on Monday that you'll tell him to help you channel your anger and we'll let you off the hook." I say putting out my terms.

Molly looked back up at me and then nodded. "Yes dad."

I smirked as I walked up to her and kissed her on the forehead and gave her a hug. "That's my girl." I say and give her light punch on the shoulder. Molly smirked back at me as she punched me on the shoulder a little and then went to her room.

Then I felt Mona at my side and I looked up to see both the kids' rooms' doors closed.

"So… does the _offer_ from earlier still stand?" She inquires coyly as she smooths one of her hands down the front of my torso. I smirked as I lifted her into my arms, something I haven't done in a while.

"Of course... only for you." I reply and kiss her before I take her to our bedroom, which luckily, is away from the kids on the first floor. Which also gives us more… _privacy_.

We were both laughing a little as we kept kissing and I carried her into our room, shutting the door behind us.

_**Earlier that day; afternoon**_

**(Leo's POV)**

I parked my bike and then started to make my way across the street.

As I got closer someone walked out of the building, that made me smile once she saw me and smiled back.

After the invasion, Hazel stayed below ground with us for about a year, just because Splinter was kind of weary of the Shredder taking advantage of the city's and our weakened state at that time.

Splinter didn't want to give the Shredder any new information and also wanted Hazel to be safe as well.

Even now, 15 years later, the Shredder still thinks Splinter is a rat living in the sewers and that is also why when Splinter and Hazel married and decided to live topside again, they made sure to be out of the Shredder's usual limits but still were relatively close enough for me. They've been living pretty low profile and trying to blend in.

Besides, it was only a 25 or 30 minute ride for me on my bike.

"Leo, it's so good to see you." Hazel says as she approached me, hugged me, and kissed me on the cheek. "Hi mom." I say as I hug her back and smile a little.

My brothers and I never had a mother figure for the first 16 years of our lives until Splinter met Hazel. Also, since she never had children before or with Splinter, she kind of made my brothers and I her own.

It was never more so than when she lived with us in the lair.

She was always just doing very _motherly _things for us and then Mikey called her mom at one point and it just kind of stuck. Also, I can tell she really likes and appreciates it when we call her that.

Besides, to me and my brothers, like I said before, she was pretty much our mother.

"So, what brings you here?" She asks. "Oh, I just need to talk to Splinter. Is he home?" I ask, really hoping he is.

This was how desperate I was for advice. I need someone who won't judge me as harshly as my brothers would if I told one of them first. Also, Splinter, I know, will have some piece of advice for me if anyone I knew did.

"He's inside. I'm just going out for awhile to run some errands but I'll be back later." She explains. "Thank you." I say with a smile as I start to walk up to the building.

"Oh and Leo." She calls out. I look behind me and direct my attention to her. "You're staying for dinner… and this time I mean it." She says and I knew I wasn't going to get out of it. "Okay, I'll be there." I say and let out a laugh as I smile at her and she smiles back at me before walking away.

I standing at doors as I summoned the courage from within myself. I just hope I'm prepared to do it.

**I hope you liked seeing what life was like on Raphael's end. I thought the story could use something a little lighter. What advice will Splinter give Leonardo, if he has any at all for his complicated situation? Find out next time! Thanks for reading and please review.**


	7. Advisory 2

**What kind of advice will Splinter give Leo. Read on to find out. Enjoy! **

**(Leo's POV)**

"So sensei, what do you think?" I say hesitantly and let out a sigh.

I was waiting for it. I literally just told sensei the whole thing. Sensei was still silent but looked like he was still taking in everything I just told him.

"Well, you are in quite the conundrum to say the least, Leonardo. But, you are not the first to go through a situation such as this." He replies.

"Oh, you've seen my situation before back in Japan?" I ask, feeling a little better that I wasn't alone. "No… I'm sorry but I can safely say I've never seen your situation exactly. I only mean that you are not the first to find out an almost unbelievable and shocking truth." He elaborates.

"I'm just at my whits end right now, sensei. Ever since I found out about Kaito's existence, I can't get it out of my mind and I have no idea what to do." I say and run my hand through my hair out of stress, my hands still almost shaking from nerves.

It was quiet for several moments.

"I don't know where to start. Though I do admit that this is an extremely complex and also somehow _fascinating_ situation. In my years of being a ninja for my clan back in Japan, I have never known a situation like this. Of course there was the inevitability of two opposing sides _mixing_ intimately in certain cases, but never have I known for children to result from them. But, I do find something that I feel I must ask now that it is in the open." He says, hovering over a thought.

"What sensei?" I ask. "If you don't mind me asking, my son. When you and Karai became _intimate_ with one another, did you use any _precautionary measures_?" He asks.

Usually I would avoid discussing sexual aspects with Splinter, but I don't care anymore. I was desperate for anything.

"Well, I guess, but she mostly took care of it and me being an absolute idiot... I believed her and I never used anything." I say, still thinking of how much of an idiot I was never considering that she left because she was pregnant.

Then I felt his hand on my shoulder causing me to look up before he said, "My son, we've all made poor choices when we were younger and you are also not the first to encounter an unexpected pregnancy, like your brother and Mona for instance. Or myself too when I was a young man. Never on this scale but I also made mistakes. But, it has happened and there is nothing that can be done but try and face it." He explained.

When I was a teenager, I would have hated this conversation and cringed at the very mention of contraception type stuff with Splinter. But now as a 32 year old man who is literally this close to losing his sanity, it was comforting a little to get some sort of explanation.

But, now I had something else on my mind and I just had to get it out because it has confused me for so long.

"I just still can't believe me she never told me. You can't tell me that choice never came to her? " I say, still angry. I was. That's been one of my main emotions since I encountered Kaito and had that confrontation with Karai.

"My son, Karai had many different choices for her situation, but they were her choices and she is a person with free will. There are probably reasons that influenced her decision. But, they all involved options. She could have came to you. She could have avoided the situation entirely by doing... _something _I'd rather not mension. But I have to admit that I am quite surprised that the Shredder has accepted the boy despite his daughter's circumstance with the conception of the boy or not even knowing the true father of the boy as well. It seems that I still do not even fully know my own enemy, even at my present age and spending my youth along side him and along with..." Splinter kept going on, but my attention stopped and put a new thought in my head that made me really think about the situation with the two of us and our son.

Sensei was right. Karai had so many options when it came to her pregnancy with Kaito.

She could have told me, like Mona decided to do with Raph and the rest of us when she was pregnant with Molly. She could have run away from both me and her father, she could have given him away to the care of some other random family back in Japan and never spoke of it again, or…the thought of this alone tears me apart on the inside just thinking about it.

But she also could have, as sensei said, _gotten rid_ of him.

That one makes me infuriated and painfully upset at the same time, almost heartbreaking to think of for me. The fact that she could have gone _that way_ from us having fully and mutually wanted intimacy with each other and just _nipped it in the butt_ from the beginning and avoided it all together.

Yet she didn't and the question was… why?

"Leonardo?" I looked up to see Splinter looking at me in concern. I decided to save that topic for a later time... and place.

"Sensei, what do I do about Kaito... or Karai? Karai has steered me and lied to me in the worst way possible, yet I still love her and Kaito's my son and he has no idea I'm his father. What am I supposed to do about him? Should I tell him?" I say, still expressing my desperation for advice.

"Leonardo, I can say for a definite fact that you have probably one of the most complex situations out of any being that has ever lived. There is no denying that." He states. I snorted in frustration and indignation as I said, "Yeah, thanks, for pointing that out."

His hand was on my shoulder again as he said, "My son, I do not say these things to be harsh. I only say it because it is true and am only offering my personal opinion. But you also must realize that Kaito is in a similar situation and doesn't even know it. His mother has raised him in a _cradle of unsung truths_, to put it metaphorically, and she has probably given him an alternate explanation of his fraternal origins. Why she has though is something I do not quite know. You must keep that in mind about him. As for yourself and Karai, there is nothing I can say. You are no longer a boy, my son. You and Karai are both adults and what goes on between the two of you is entirely both of your concern and decision. Do you understand my son?" He asks.

"Hai sensei." I say and bow my head.

No matter how old I get or that I am a sensei myself now, Splinter is still my sensei… as well as my father. An adoptive father, but still a father to myself and my brothers.

Now I have decisions to be made and Splinter is right.

Karai and I are both adults and what goes on with us now is both of our choice and as frustrating as it still is, I'm still hopelessly in love with her and I won't be happy with any other woman as long as she walks the Earth. It's just so complicated.

As for Kaito, sensei is also right there too. I can't just waltz up to Kaito and just spit out the truth that I'm his father, it needs to be something where Kaito will accept that truth on his own.

The question is… what do I do now?

_**That night**_

**(Molly's POV)**

It was quiet… too quiet.

I haven't seen the face of my latest _annoyance_ all night.

I eventually rested against a support beam for the billboard on the building that my patrol route ends at. I was taking deep breathes as I kept thinking. Thinking about… _him_.

Look, I've had guys flirt with me before at school and I hate it and it annoys me to no end. But, it is kind of no duh in the respect that they are all repulsive, immature, disgusting, and beyond annoying to me.

I would rather be beaten about the head with my math book repeatedly for an hour rather than spend 1 minute with any of them or 10 seconds with Nick alone.

But… I just had no idea what to do with Kaito. He went against the checklist for most guys our age.

He wasn't disgusting or repulsive entirely in personality or appearance wise. Actually… I never thought I'd say it but, he's the opposite. Actually, Kaito was _clean_ and… fine he's… kinda… cute. There I admitted it! I think Kaito is kind of _good-looking_.

He also wasn't immature or at this point he's not annoying in the way I usually think of most guys I know. He actually had a fairly normal and _mature_ thing about him when he spoke to me that one and only time so far.

He even admitted that he respected my skills in ninjutsu and I even have to admit that I have the same respect back with him. Kaito was a _very_ skilled ninja… maybe even more than me.

I will never say that to his face ever or admit it to anyone out loud.

Then all of a sudden I felt my heart jump as I pulled out my kama when Kaito was right in front of my face.

He was hanging upside down from his feet that were hooked on the catwalk of the billboard about 5 feet above my head. His arms were crossed and his mask was still in place, but I knew he was grinning beneath it as he greeted entirely casually, "Kon'nichiwa."

I was just giving him a _look_, feeling that annoying feeling of frustration in the pit of my stomach again.

"Seriously, what is your problem?" I say as frustrated as I looked right at him, my heartbeat still coming down from being taken by surprise.

"What? You said that you preferred if I said hi before I talked to you." He says in the most pointedly, teasing, and 'smartalky' way possible. Then I remembered that remark I made to him last time about how people who want to talk to someone usually say hi instead of stalking them and he did say hi just now. It was 'hello' in Japanese, but still a hello.

_Well played Kaito. I'll give him that._

I wasn't letting him off though with that. "You know, when I meant that people usually say hello. I meant normally like on the street. Not hanging like a bat from a billboard." I point out bluntly and point one of my kama at his face.

He quirked an eyebrow at me as he dismounted and landed on his feet in front of me. He put his hands up as he said, "Hey, just thought I'd give my greeting a little flair."

I rolled my eyes and tried to get past him only for him to keep blocking my path, almost like he was playing with me.

"Look, don't you have anything better to do?" I say irritated. He put his hands behind his back as he shrugged. "No, not at the moment." He responds and then takes off his facial armor before clipping it to that area on his belt.

"Okay, fine. What? What do you want from me exactly to make you go away?" I demand, getting more irritated and flustered with him by the second.

His lips quirked into a smile as he started to pace in a circle around me. I gripped my kama and didn't keep my gaze off him to make sure he wasn't going to pull anything on me.

He started talking, "Like last time, I just want to talk. You see Molly, I realized the last time we talked that I told you about myself and you barely told me anything about you… and I would like to know more about you."

"Why?" I question bluntly.

"I don't know actually. You just… fascinate me. I'm usually good at reading people most of the time… except you. I look at you and all I get is this brick wall. You're very... _mysterious_." He elaborates.

I rolled my eyes and sighed. He's obviously trying to flirt with me right now to get in my head.

"Fine Sherlock, if I tell you some stuff about me will you leave me in peace?" I ask. "Possibly." He says vaguely with a grin.

Well, that's better than nothing. "Okay, let's see... I'm 13, my birthday is March 16th, I was born in Brooklyn, I've been training in ninjutsu since I was 3, and I'm human… pretty much." I add vaguely, deciding to throw that in so he'd think I'm weird and leave me alone.

"What does that mean, you're pretty much human?" He asks, looking intrigued.

"It involves a long, complicated story on my dad's side. But genetically I am 100% human technically speaking." I explain. "Why? Was he an alien or test tube clone... or _something_?" Kaito replies, approaching me more.

I took a step back. "No, like I'd even tell you." I retort. He just smirked at me and kept taking steps toward me and I kept keeping the distance.

"Okay… well, I told you more about me. So, you can like… go." I say, getting flustered again.

"Why are you so eager to get rid of me?" He asks, still approaching me with that grin.

"Um, maybe because we really aren't really supposed to be talking to each other like this. Last time I checked your in the Foot Clan, your Shredder's grandson,... need I go on here." I explain.

"I know." He responds with a grin as he kept approaching me. Then I felt like my stomach was going to fall out of my butt when I felt my back hit the brick wall of the building next door that was pressed against the one I was already on.

I wish there was a gap between the buildings so I could fall into an alley and get away from… whatever _this_ is! He was right in front of me with that grin still on his face. My mind was screaming at me.

_C'mon! Smack him! Punch him! Shove him away and take control of yourself you moron!_

But my body wasn't getting it. I had no idea what to do. I've never felt like this in a situation. I was unsure, confused, and entirely irritated and flustered and yet… I kind of… _liked_ it a little. Or... I don't know?!

It was like I lost all control when he put a hand on the wall next to my head; still grinning at me. And just like that my hands went limp and my kama hit the rooftop.

Then I felt that blush return to my face when I felt something grab my hand, his free hand. His proximity kept increasing and I was almost sweating.

_No… no… he wouldn't._

He was barely 4 inches from my face when all of a sudden he stopped, still grinning at my reaction, as he lifted my hand he was holding into view. He was holding it in a weird way though, not like how people would usually hold hands. My face erupted in an inferno when he pressed his lips to the knuckles on my hand that he was holding.

My heart was beating in my throat as he still maintained eye contact with me. His Amber eyes almost hypnotizing me. He pulled away from my hand and smiled at me, probably amused by my reaction.

"O wakare, Molly." He said as he released my hand, put his facial armor back in place, and bowed his head slightly to me before just taking off.

I just stood there as I watched him vanish into the distance. I didn't move. I was frozen. I was trying to get a hold of what just happened. He was gone and I only had one thing going through my head.

_What?_

**I hope you liked the talk between Leo and Splinter. Also, just keep in mind that Molly and Kaito still have no idea whatsoever that they are actually cousins This is just the beginning and there will be **_**so**_ **much more to follow these events. Thank you as always for reading and please tell your thoughts on this chapter. It would be most appreciated. Have a good rest of your day!**

**-Dexter1995 **


	8. Ringent

**(Leo's POV)**

This is crazy.

I shouldn't be doing this. But I have to do this.

Patrol ended early tonight and Raph and Molly were already gone and probably back home. This was my opportunity to see him again and right now I am pretty sure I know where he could be.

I haven't been in contact with him in a little over a week since that first encounter.

Even though Kaito has no idea of the truth and has no idea I'm his father, I just can't get him out of my mind. He's my one and only child, my son, and after sitting back and seeing my brother's raise their own kids, I actually had one all along and never even knew.

How can I not want to be involved with him?

Right now, I was in front of Shredder's HQ.

Like I said, ever since Shredder's top henchmen were wiped out during the invasion, the Shredder's forces really have lost it's luster and his security really isn't up to par anymore either.

That and it has been 15 years and Shredder is in his mid to late 60's and I am pretty much a master of ninjutsu now just like both Splinter and Shredder after spending every waking moment of my life since Karai left training.

Now I know what you are saying, why don't we just attack the Shredder? Because at this point there is no honor in it or anything to really be gained.

Even with Kaito and now Karai back on his side, it just isn't worth attacking some stubborn, irrational and borderline elderly man who just can't let his grudge against Splinter go. At this point it is just easier to let him live out his weird fantasy for however long he is still alive.

Also, Molly is only 13 and as skilled for her age as she is, myself and definitely Raph do not want to bring her into a fight with the Shredder. If something happened to her I don't know if myself, Raph, or Mona could handle it. We all love her too much to put her in that situation.

I was sneaking around the rooftop, avoiding the security cameras and looked in through the glass and into the mainroom.

I saw nothing at first, until I saw a figure walking in… it was _him_.

He walked in looking on his guard as he suddenly stopped and stared at the Shredder's empty chair. He looked over his shoulders as he walked up the stairs toward the chair. I rose an eyebrow, wondering what Kaito was doing as he just stared at the chair.

Then he got a strange, almost anxious, expression on his face as he looked over his shoulders again. He looked like he wanted to make sure he was alone, like he didn't want to get caught doing something.

But… what? I saw his lips quirk up into a grin as he hesitantly sat down in the Shredder's chair. I just kept observing this. I slowly saw his grin turn into a smile… my smile.

Seriously, the more I look at him, the more I realize how much Kaito and I look alike. But it only intensifies my curiosity to want to know him. I really do want to. I want to know what he's like. He's my son, so why shouldn't I feel that way?

He kept sitting in the chair and I just kept looking at him until both myself and Kaito jumped at the sound of someone clearing their throat just to the right of the chair, the Shredder. He was looking at Kaito expectantly as Kaito immediately stood up and stepped aside.

"Sorry, grandfather." Kaito apologizes as he bows his head and walks in front of Shredder.

Sure, I know Oroku Saki is Kaito's grandfather and I knew that if I involved myself with Karai that I was with _his_ daughter. But… it was still crazy to think about the fact that both Karai and Kaito are related by blood to my sensei's mortal enemy, even though Splinter has left his grudge behind decades ago, Oroku Saki still has not.

The Shredder was still looking at Kaito and said, "Just try to mind your own the next time, Kaito. Or you shall feel the true sting of what happens to medel where you have no right."

"Yes, grandfather." Kaito replies respectfully.

"Very well. Your mother has already given me her report. Anything to report on your route?" The Shredder inquires. Kaito looks him right in the eye as he replies, "Nothing tonight." "I see... You are free to go." The Shredder replies, waving him off.

Kaito bows his head again before walking away and I just stood there watching vanish from the room.

_**4 days later**_

**(Molly's POV)**

I was walking to my locker and I was about to turn on my music when I caught something that made me stop in front of my locker. "Did you guys see him again yesterday?" "Who?" "Who do you think? That guy in the leather jacket that stands in front of the school everyday."

I looked slightly and saw this group of girls within ear shot.

My mind connected to something that has made me even more conflicted over the past week, Kaito.

I kept trying to discreetly listen in. "I have no idea… does he go here?" "No… ugh, but I wish he did. He's _so_ hot." "Yeah, I finally got a look at him the other day. Talk about a 10 out of freaking 10."

I rolled my eyes as I walked out of the school. They were right. I do catch Kaito standing outside my school a lot, but I try not to acknowledge his existence in public. But once I actually got out of the doors of the school… he wasn't there.

I looked in every way possible and he was nowhere in sight, which I wasn't complaining about. Or maybe… ugh, it is so damn complicated. I just walked away from the school my usual way as thoughts kept buzzing around my head.

Why am I getting so bent up and flustered about a stupid guy?!

That persistent, sly, clever, strong, good looking… Ugh, shut up! You're pathetic! C'mon Molly pull yourself togeth… "Hey Molly."

I whipped my head in the direction of the source only to feel an anvil practically drop in my stomach at the mere sight. It was Kaito, in civilian attire, and a smile spread across his face.

"Kaito." I greet curtly, trying to maintain myself.

What is up with me?! Am I seriously nervous around this guy? No… no… I can't think that way about him. I am going to fight tooth and nail on this as long as I possibly can. He's not going to get to me that easily.

"Just my name? I thought we were friends?" He almost mocks and teases at the same time.

I step closer into the alley to make our discussion a little more discreet and not draw attention that I was practically _fraternizing with the enemy_.

"What kind of person stalks a friend? Besides, we can't be friends, Kaito." I point out. "Why not? I thought you liked me?" He asks.

"Kaito, this is totally crazy. If anyone found out, it would be both our necks at the guillotine." I say, still thinking he was completely insane for what he was asking. He approached me, smiling, as he started, "Then no one will find out. I'm good at discrete… Really Molly? Don't you like me?... Cuz I like you."

I blushed when I felt his hand grab mine again. He was holding it in front of me in both of his as he started to press his lips to my hand again like last time. I felt like I had a rock in my throat. I had no idea how to react. I could literally kick his butt 6 ways to Sunday for doing this with me, but I felt unable to do just about everything but breathe and blink right now.

"Kaito… do you have any idea what you are doing? We can't do this." I say again and finally rip my hand away. He just smiled at me and kept walking toward me and I kept walking away only for us to be in that same situation as 5 days ago. I had my back against a brick wall with him standing in front of me.

I felt cornered and my mind was still screaming at me to act… but I was stunned. It was so degrading. I might as well just pee myself right now to complete the humiliation.

"I won't see you on patrol tonight. I'll be with my mother in the beginning tonight and complete my usual last half of my route like usual… so, I'll have to do this now." He says vaguely.

I looked at him unsettled and confused and also feeling somewhat hostile.

"Do…" I wasn't able to finish my sentence. It took me a split second when I realized what was going on. There wasn't a doubt in my mind of what he was doing.

Kaito was kissing me.

It wasn't anything weird, it was just a kiss. I didn't know what to do, but after about 6 seconds he pulled away.

"Sayonara, Molly." He says smiling at me before walking away from me and then looking behind to wink at me before leaving me. I was so confused, but surprisingly, that actually wasn't my first kiss.

On Valentine's day in 5th grade during recess, I was reading on a bench by myself when Nick blindsided me with a kiss on the lips only for me to deck him with a sow paw to the face right afterward.

But that kiss wasn't like this one, sure that one was disgusting because it was Nick. Gross, mean, annoying Nick. But this one was… nice, warm, and I don't know… It was just _nice_.

Then a thought hit me that made me see red. If my Uncle or God forbid my dad saw me doing this… he'd crap in a sock, explode, and then turn Kaito into gardening mulch.

Either way, I'm so dead.

_**That night**_

**(Leo's POV)**

I finally had my plan and I couldn't wait anymore. I had to do this.

I was trying to keep the advice Splinter gave me in mind but I knew Kaito would never find out the truth unless I helped him to see it. Kaito was my son and as much as I don't want to make his life entirely complicated, I knew it was the only way and I did not want to let Kaito, my son, live a lie. I wanted him to know the truth.

I was able to find where Kaito usually hangs around nearest my perimeter and I was waiting for him to cross it right now.

I could feel myself shaking slightly. I was going to do this. I was actually going to do this.

Then I saw that familiar black figure darting across the rooftops. I got on the next rooftop and waited behind an air conditioning unit, one of my katana drawn. Then I sensed him and got in his path only to realize he had one of his juji-ken drawn as well.

Our eyes locked and his face still covered by that lower facial armor.

"Look, I don't want to fight you." I start. "Well, I do. Now either stand aside or I dispatch you." He retaliates.

We kept exchanging slashes before locking up again and I said, "Just listen to me! I have something you'll want to hear." "What could you possibly have to tell me?" Kaito cockily replies, also sounding extremely irritated.

"It's about your father…" "What about my father? My father is dead. He died before I was even born! My mother told me!" He spits back.

I took a second to freeze at what he just told me, going numb for a second before I felt a tinge of anger deep within me. I'll address that little piece of information later on with a certain _someone_.

"Oh, really? Is that what she told you?" I reply, coming off snide, but I was angry now.

He took a hard slash at me, which I blocked, and he yelled, "How dare you?! Are you calling my mother a liar?! You have no right to say a word against her!" As much as I wanted to be angry with him, I had to remind myself that he was pretty much living a lie unknowingly.

Kaito may be a trained ninja, but he's also still just a 14 year old boy.

"That's where you're not entirely right. There are things about your mother that even you don't know. I can guarentee it." I explain. He froze and tilted his head at me and said in a confused and irritated fashion, "Like what? What could you possibly know?"

I kicked his legs out from under him when he tried to strike me again. I pointed my katana at him, my facial expression dead serious as I looked at him. Taking him into my memory.

Seriously, he looks so much like me. I just can't get over the resemblance. If it wasn't for the eye color, we would like an older and younger version of each other.

Kaito looked up at me with that shock and slight fear in his eyes like from our first encounter when I beat him. "More than you even know." I reply to his statement. I put away my katana and ran to the edge at the building before looking back at him.

"Believe me… Kaito." I say and his eyes went wide at the fact that I knew his name. As much as I wanted to tell him, I knew I had to hold back and let Kaito decide for himself.

Besides, now I had another _stop_ to make and address something else.

**What did you think? What will happen next? Thanks for reading and please leave a review if you can. I'd love to hear from all of you.**


	9. Affirmation

**Thank you so much for your feedback. I loved to hear what you thought of the drama and now the climax of the drama has arrived. The big confrontation.**

**(Leo's POV)**

I was hiding in a dark corner of the tenement.

I came here immediately after I had that _little discussion_ with Kaito. I still had enough time to get here before she did and I knew she was going to show up and some point. I was angry and I going to get some answers.

My eyes were locked on the window.

The moonlight pouring in went undisturbed, until it was blocked out by a dark figure that I knew all too well and was my main purpose to be here. I was waiting for the opportunity to make my move.

Right as she stepped into the room, I lunged and tackled her into the wall, until she countered me and pulled out her juji-ken from its sheath. She lunged at me and I was able to draw one of my katana and block it as I fumed entirely infuriated, "You told Kaito his father is dead?!"

Her eyes widened at me initially, her mask was off, allowing me to see the full effect of my statement. She looked initially shocked that I probably got that information from talking to Kaito.

But her expression went to defensive as she replied, "Look Leo, what was I supposed to tell him?!" "Oh, I don't know... THE TRUTH!" I countered.

"LEO! I had no idea I was coming back here and telling Kaito that his father died seemed easier than any other explanation. What was I supposed to tell him, he was the unanticipated product of blind, lustful teenage stupidity?" She replies snidely and rolls her eyes. "Why? That's kind of what happened! Whether it sounds like that or not, that's kind of why Kaito exists! But, I still don't buy what you just told me the full reason was." I retort.

"What are you talking about?" She says, getting on the edge with me.

"When you said that our son was purely conceived on just some _fling _out of lust. It wasn't entirely that from me… and I don't buy that it was all about lust with you either." I say and look directly at her only to find her trying to give me the cold shoulder, in total denial… still.

I kept talking, "You'll never admit it… but I knew you had deeper feelings for me… and I think you still do." "Oh, what makes you say that?" She inquires bluntly crossing her arms, _still_ trying to deny her feelings.

I was right in front of her and staring her down, her eyes looking everywhere but at me.

I started again, "Think back to that first night when we kissed when I became human and the first time we _made love_ and then every time after that, that wasn't lust, not entirely. Lust is only temporary and if you only saw me as something you purely desired, then you would have gotten bored with me after the first month. Then there was Kaito…"

I made sure to point out the term 'made love' because even though I will not deny that lust was involved when we were together intimately, that's how sex and attraction results, but I loved her way more than how much I desired her physically. And I still love her, _desperately_. Also, something came to my mind when it came to Kaito earlier when I was thinking about it and I started to see a reason for all of it.

"What does Kaito have to do with anything between us?" She snaps.

"Think Karai, when you got pregnant with him, you had so many choices. You weren't forced to keep him... You could've given him away and even… _gotten rid_ of him. But you didn't… and now I think I know why." I elaborate and then she finally looks me in the eye and snaps, "Oh then what do you think it was?" "Because you loved me." I state plainly as I reach out and stroke her cheek.

For the first time in 15 years, Karai looked me in the eyes, her face flushed.

She smacked my hand away and said snidely, "Oh, you think that because I kept Kaito that it must mean I was _madly in love with you_." "Yes… that's exactly what I think. I may not have gotten the courage to say this years ago but I'll say it now, I loved you, Karai, and still do." I admit, finally telling her I love her.

"Leo…" "You won't admit it, but I know you love me too." I interrupt and then put my hand on her cheek again. She was unresponsive. I was still captivated by her after all these years.

She's played with me and mentally tormented me so many times, but I know that wasn't really _her_.

That one night when I forced her into that date with me, I saw the _real _Karai. Not some power driven and manipulative kunoichi, just herself and that part of her was the part that I knew was what made her good deep down and the fact that she was the mother of our son only made me love her even more.

Even though she won't admit it, I knew that her feelings she had toward me played somewhat of a role in her keeping and raising Kaito.

I couldn't stop myself as I started to lean in and felt our lips make contact for the first time in one and a half decades. All the previous emotions I felt kissing her came flooding back to me. Just that pure feeling of how right it felt to be with her in every way possible.

How can she deny how right we are together?

I kept moving my lips over hers and I could've sworn she was kissing me back, until I felt her jab me in the side as she maneuvered around me to escape. But I was able to grab her arm to stop her.

"Listen to me Karai, if you're too stubborn to admit what you think of us, fine. But it isn't right to keep Kaito in a veil of lies and shadows. He has the right to know the truth." I say adamant. She huffed and tugged her arm away and was heading toward the window.

"Then just hear me on this, if you refuse to tell Kaito and he comes to me for an explanation. I'll tell him. Our son deserves to know and I won't deny him his right to know the truth. Hear me?" I lay out and cross my arms as I narrow my eyes at her, waiting for her response.

She half looked back at me, looking tense, flustered, and irritated before leaping out the window. Well, somethings never change. Karai is still an enigma to me, but I know she loves me.

She won't admit it, but I know she does. Why is this so hard for her?

**(Karai's POV) **

I was back at my quarters and sipping tea in an attempt to calm down, my hands shaking as I was still processing my encounter with Leo. I still have no idea what to think. He really did give me a working over what I told Kaito.

But, I wasn't up for thinking about it anymore tonight.

I decided, to go and sleep it off until I was caught by that voice, "Mother?" I tried to keep myself under control as he walked closer to me.

"Mother, I have something I need to talk about." He states, looking absolutely serious. "Can it wait until tomorrow?" I say and try to walk past him only for him to stand in my way.

"No… it can't." Kaito says dead serious.

_Great, I was already given a working by Leo and now my son is being testy with me. Just… wonderful._

"Very well, what is it?" I inquire. "I want to know the truth. I want to know about my father." He states, adamant, crossing his arms. I didn't respond at first, knowing where this was going.

"Earlier tonight, Leonardo from the Hamato Clan stopped me and told me somethings regarding my father. Saying that I don't know the truth. Saying you lied. Now… I'm going to give you one more chance. Mother, what is the truth about my father?" He practically demands.

I avoided looking at him and turned my back to him as my only defense.

Then I heard a smash as he shouted, "LOOK AT ME!" I looked behind me to see Kaito had smashed a vase on the ground. His body tense and his eyes with a spark of frustration and intensity. He actually looked almost like he'd gone totally mad.

"Mother… I am no longer a child who won't understand. I'm 14 and I know what sex is and what results from it, so either tell me the truth or I'll find someone who will. Now, tell me the truth. Is my father dead?" He asks.

I didn't say anything. "Fine." He says through his teeth and walks to the door.

"No." I finally say, feeling defeated. As much as I didn't want to tell him, I'll be damned if I give Leonardo the full credit of telling Kaito.

Kaito stopped and looked at me over his shoulder before turning around to face me. "So, he's still alive?" He asks again. I nod and add, "Yes, he is… he's alive... and he lives in this city."

"Well then who is he? Tell me now." He demands. I was slightly surprised he didn't just guess who, but I think he was too involved in staring me down for an answer to think.

I let out a deep breath, knowing I was beaten. Well and truly beaten... and if I had a snowflake's chance in Hell of keeping my son from resenting me for all eternity right now, I knew I had to do it. I swallowed my pride and worked up the gumption to come out with it.

I took another deep breath before finally admitting, "Kaito... it's Leonardo. Hamato Leonardo, is your father."

**I know this was short, but the next chapter will more than double what was in this one. Plus, a new _perspective_ will be added. Thanks for reading and please leave a review.**


	10. Asseveration

**This chapter takes place the morning after the last chapter. Enjoy!**

**(Leo's POV)**

I was walking onto Emerson's campus.

I had to come here and I had to come now. I needed more input. I needed someone I could trust. I needed my best friend and Mona's office hours started in 5 minutes and I was hoping to catch her.

When Mona graduated from Emerson with her Master's degree at the time, they were eager to offer her a job, which she took. The university staff has also been very flexible and understanding toward her.

When Mona got pregnant with Molly, she was so worried, borderline hysterically panicking, that she wouldn't be able to graduate college anymore or much less go to school, but that was when we all stepped up to help and the board at Emerson was eager to keep her.

Apparently when you have an IQ 187, have two world renowned Physicists for parents, and are on the Dean's list… you tend to get the utmost respect. Which Mona deserved completely. Earning a Master's while raising a child is incredible and then going into teaching soon after… she amazes me and I really am so proud to say she's both my best friend and sister-in-law.

I walked into the Physics building and found Mona's office. Then I smirked when I looked at the ID next to her door; _Dr. Mona E. Hamato_.

Last month Mona finally earned her PH.D. in physics and was finally able to gain her coveted title of doctor just like her parents. I knew it was important to her and plus now she likes rubbing it in Donnie's face that he's not the only doctor in the family, it's all in good fun. I looked in and saw her writing at her desk, probably grading papers.

As much as I didn't want to bother her, I had to do it.

I knocked on her door frame, causing her to look up. She smirked at me and tipped her glasses down for effect as she gave me her usual teasing grin.

"Look who finally decided to visit." She comments, joking around with me. I put my hands up and grin as I let out a laugh. "Hey, I didn't mean to offend you. I didn't think you wanted me bugging you at work." I respond slightly defensive and jokingly.

She got up and waved me over. "Just come over and give me a hug you dork." She says and we both laugh a little when we hugged. She gave me a kiss on the cheek before releasing me.

Like I said, after all these years, Mona's still my best friend.

"So, what gives me the privalege of having you in my _domain_ today? Just a hello?" She inquires, sitting back in her desk chair and motioning for me to sit in one of the chairs in front of her desk. I sat down and answered, "Actually… there's something I have to say." "I'm all ears." She replies, smiling.

I all of a sudden felt a pressure.

Was I really going to tell Mona about this? Am I crazy? Although Mona is my bestfriend, she's had a grudge against Karai that still holds true to this day from when she was 16. I know without a doubt that Mona probably still hates Karai, also probably for her ditching me before any of us knew the reason. But now I did know.

But this isn't entirely about Karai, this is also about my son.

I just have to tell someone other than Splinter, just to get some sort of outside input or… SOMETHING?! I'll admit that I'm seriously close to losing my grip on my own sanity.

"Well… Okay Mona, I'm in a situation right now and I don't know exactly what to do about it. I've told Splinter and I have already sworn him to secrecy… can you promise me that too? You can't tell Raph or Molly or April… or anyone." I say, almost pleading a little.

She smirked at me as she got up and then closed her office door and started to speak as she walked back to her chair, "Leo, seriously, do you doubt my ability to keep a secret? Now you know why April and I feel insulted about this sometimes. I mean, c'mon I was able to hide that I was dating your brother when he was still a mutant turtle from my parents the whole time without even them even suspecting a thing… So, what is this _big _secret?" She asks, smiling at me as she sat back down.

I smiled at her, but then I felt the nerves return. My expression became anxious and serious before saying, "Look Mona, I'm only going to tell you this because I have the utmost trust in you and I literally have no one else to turn to for this right now."

Mona's expression became a mixture of confusion, intrigue, and concern as she replied, "Why don't I find that reassuring?"

Well, now I've crossed the point of no return and there is no turning back.

_**1 day later**_

**(Kaito's POV)**

What's happened? How could this have happened? I had no idea what to do.

After my mother told me who my real father was two nights ago, I stormed off and went to my room. I didn't want to talk to my mother anymore, she violated my trust. My own mother, the person who trusted more than anyone in the world, and she LIED to me.

She _lied_ to me, her own son, WHY?!

All this time I actually thought my father was dead, because that was what _she_ told me… _What a load of crap?_

It also makes me wonder what else she has lied to me about. I didn't even want to face her today at all either. I wanted nothing to do with her. I also barely slept last night or the night before. I was just to trying to still grasp the truth about myself, about my father.

Leonardo, the second in command of Hamato Yoshi, was my true father. But now that I thought about it, the description my mom gave me, the vague description more specifically, actually was true and seemed to fit Leonardo with being a skilled ninja.

He really was. He was the first person other than my mother to beat me in a bout. In fact, I felt like he was going easy on me or something during fights when I was going at my full potential. It was like he could defeat me without even breaking a sweat.

When my mother said that my father was an extremely skilled ninja, ironically, she wasn't lying.

I still felt lost. I didn't want to go anywhere, I didn't want to do anything, I especially was in no mood to talk to my mother… I didn't even want to see Molly. But she's bound to find out I'm related to her Clan's second in command at some point.

I actually still don't know much about Molly. I had no idea what her ties were to the Hamato Clan. Grandfather never told me about her. I'm guessing she was new to the active patrolling like me, yet another thing we have in common. I had to stop thinking about her.

Right now I just wanted to clear my head and sort things out.

I went to the roof of the building with my satchel full of projectiles, my yumi, and my yebira stocked with all the arrows I could fit in it. I was going to be up there for a while.

There are lots of different things people do to think. Some like to sit in silence, some like to walk or go jogging, and some like to maybe paint or sketch… but not me. When I'm stressed or need to think, I go shooting.

I've been specializing in the yumi since I was 4 years old. From the moment I picked it up and held it in my hand, I knew it was my weapon. I was pretty well rounded in most skill sets to begin with, but shooting a yumi has been where I excelled. My mother even told me.

But it wasn't only my weapon of choice for combat, it was also my means to relax and think.

When I was stressed, my yumi was the first thing I grabbed. I set up my catapult, which is really just a 2x4 balancing on a soup can so I can launch my projectiles into the air.

My projectiles are also sub par. Soda cans, bean bags… basically just random garbage that I hurl into the air and shoot repeatedly with my arrows. I set the soda can on one end and set up my first arrow. I stomped on my end and the soda can launched into air.I quickly aimed and fired, direct hit.

I kept repeating the process.

**(Karai's POV)**

Kaito's been avoiding me for going on 2 days.

Not that I'm surprised.

I knew it was going to happen and now it finally has. Well, one there were no lies anymore… that should seem good but right now I had my doubts with it. My son is avoiding me at all costs, which I knew was going to happen.

Kaito takes the trust he puts in people extremely serious and I violated that trust by lying to him and now him seeing it as plain as day.

I lied. I knew it and as much as I tried to convince myself it was for his own good to make up something, but that was before I thought I was ever going to come back here. I thought we were just going to stay in Japan and nothing would have gone amiss.

But, I lied. I out right lied to my son and now I was paying the consequences that I now feel I deserved because of how upset he is with me right now.

I decided to go up to the roof of the building and right when I opened to door and looked out, I saw Kaito with his yumi and firing at random objects that he hurled into the air. I knew he'd be up here and doing this.

Kaito always goes out shooting like this when he wanted to think or blow off steam.

His face was tense and looked like he was deep thought. Ugh, why does this whole situation have to be so complicated… well, I had a hand in making it like this and I felt this compulsion to do or say something to him.

I cautiously approached him. His eyebrows were knit together and I could tell he was trying to ignore me.

"Kaito?" He didn't respond as he went on with what he was doing.

"Kaito, you have to know that I wasn't anticipating this and am now bitterly regretting it. I would have told you if things were different, but you have to know that I only gave you that explanation because I thought it was easier. I never thought we would ever be in the United States for you to even come in contact with him. I just want you to know that." I explain.

But it was almost as if it didn't matter. I feel like I pretty much was just talking to a wall just now.

Kaito didn't even react and just went on ignoring me, which deep down… I knew I pretty much deserved this scorn from my son.

_**The next day**_

I was sipping tea again after patrol with Kaito still giving me the cold shoulder.

Like I said, when I was younger I would have loved to be blatantly ignored and left to myself constantly, but having this feeling of being ignored by my own son… It was painful. I'll admit again that I have changed from when I was younger in some ways.

I actually never thought I'd be a good mother if I had children, and I never planned to at all to begin with. I just never had much experience with them and personally I used to think they were all just irritating, disgusting, and obnoxious _creatures _that pretty much showed zero _appeal_ to me… until I had Kaito.

I love Kaito, more than anything and the fact that he has a look of disdain mixed with hurt when he looks at me now… I hate it. I'd rather have my skin peeled off my body slowly if it meant my son will trust me again.

I was still by myself until I heard the distinct footfall on the wood floors; Kaito.

I looked down at my cup on the table until I saw a shadow stretched on the floor of the dimly lit kitchen. I looked up and saw Kaito still in his patrol attire looking at me with the only sense of physical resemblance to me, his eyes, with determination.

His arms were behind his back and his stance was very disciplined and rigid. It was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop from a mile away. I was hoping he'd say something to me after being silent for 3 days.

Then he _finally _spoke to me, "I want to talk to him."

My eyes went wide as I took in what he just told me. I knew I had to contemplate my response quick. I needed to give him an answer or response of some kind. As much as I wanted to keep raking it over.

This time, I felt as if I had one and only choice.

**I decided to split this chapter in two just to avoid making it extremely long. I thank you all so much for reading and I hope to hear what you all thought of this chapter. Have a good one!**

**-Dexter1995**


	11. Confidences

**I wanted to take an opportunity to address a particular review by** _**beautyandharmony**_ **and I just wanted to say that I completely see your standpoint. But at this point, Kaito and Leo just don't entirely see it like that. I know and agree with everything you said. I would probably approach the situation personally exactly like you would, but there's a reason why my writing style is in point of view format and it is because I like to put myself in the character's place and try to think of every situation from each character's personal angle. This in my opinion, I feel also helps the reader get in a particular character's position as well. Leo and Kaito both are angry with Karai about her hiding the real truth from both of them in what she thought was the most straightforward way to handle the situation. Which is something all of us can understand. I think if any of us were lied to for an extended period of time, I think anyone would be upset. Then with Karai thinking that what she was doing was right even though now she has no idea what is right anymore or what to exactly feel about most everything, i.e. Leo mainly. But all things will be elaborated on in later chapters, especially with Karai. I hope you enjoy this latest chapter.**

**(Mona's POV)**

I was laying in bed and _kind of_ watching TV to wind down before going to sleep.

I was also trying to simultaneously block out and process what I just found out earlier today.

Why is it that when anyone I know has a secret that I am always the first one told and sworn to secrecy? But… Leo's my best friend and my brother-in-law. I'd do anything to help Leo… even if it meant keeping this secret.

I just still cannot fully believe what I was just told. I mean just… wow.

And I thought that the whole situation that resulted in Molly being born was crazy and complicated… I mean, this just totally takes the most insane tale in the history of forever.

Okay, I still really hate Karai… but I also can't deny the truth. Karai and I _actually _had something in common. Ugh, just the thought of that makes me cringe… but it was so true and insane that we actually had that in common.

But, I admit that I can understand her struggle in a way and in a way, as much as it sets my teeth on edge, I have to say that I respect her effort with raising a child on her own by her own decision.

Also, I know there is probably more to her story and I know her father is the Shredder, who I have encountered only twice and seemed about as likeable as someone stabbing you repeatedly with a rusted, jagged knife, but… I still can't help but wonder why exactly she did what she did.

Also, I just can't help but still feel sorry for Leo. Here he is with a son who is 14 years old and he doesn't even know.

Still... Leo has a son, which also makes him my nephew, and that is what really gets me. Again, I still feel sorry for Leo and even for his son. Both of them basically living in a lie this whole time for a reason we don't even know.

I'll try to mull it over tomorrow when I've had some slee… I immediately felt that familiar feeling of an arm snaked around my midsection and lips just at the corner of my mandible just below my ear.

"I saw a lot of graded papers at the table. Stressful day?" I rolled my eyes and smirked to myself at his usual routine after he saw me working a lot to get what he wanted... Though I will admit I am never opposed to that idea.

"You could say that." I say vaguely and roll over to face him.

I was still sworn to secrecy for Leo. I could not tell anyone; not even Raph. It feels so wrong that I'm keeping something like this from my husband, but I knew it was what Leo wanted and also would probably be a bad idea to do it in the first place.

Also, it isn't my secret to tell.

So I'm glad I also had to grade a crap load of papers from my students so it was an easy cover for why I'm such a head case. Besides it's been a little longer since our last _interval_. "Just basically mentally drained right now." I say and ran my hand through his hair a little and smiled at him. He smirked back as he immediately leaned in to kiss me.

I laughed a little as I just gave in and kissed him back. His hands started wandering over my body until he finally smoothed one of his hands up my pajama shirt. I stopped him and laughed a little as I rested my hand on the side of his face.

"Whoa, hey. Easy _Don Juan Demarco_, just let me go get something to drink first." I sat up on the edge of the bed and he just ended up following me.

I felt his lips at my ear. "Don't take too long. I don't know if I can wait." He says a little slyly. I turn my head around and reply, "I think you can live without sex for at least five minutes while I get and drink a glass of water. Besides, the Rangers game is still on. Try to self entertain." I pecked him on the lips before getting up and still glancing back and smiling at him only to see him smirking back at me from the bed.

I love being married.

Sure it didn't happen the way either of us pictured, but we were just and are still so well suited. I know no marriage is always perfect, but I love Raph and we are still… well, good together.

Raph really is a great husband and father.

The reason I freaked out initially when I found out I was pregnant was because I had no idea if Raph liked or would want any kids ever. Those aren't usually the topics that come up when you're 17.

But he just told me that he was actually _happy_ about it, considering everything. Which kind of shocked me a little initially.

At first I thought he was just saying that to make me feel better, until Molly was born.

When she was born he would not let anyone hold her but him for the first few days, except for me, but even when I held her he hovered over me like a vulture over a dead animal. He was just really protective over her and almost never let her get out of sight.

He just liked being very involved with her and almost _nurturing_, well nurturing for Raphael. More so than I was expecting from him by far with our daughter. I just never really suspected whether or not if kids were really his thing. But, Leo told me that before Raph even met me that he used to have a pet turtle that he acted the same way around like with Molly.

Also, I even sort of noticed it when I was pregnant that first time and how he would almost never let me go basically anywhere but the bathroom without him. I found it a little weird at first, but then I realized he was just trying to make sure I was fine. As tough as Raphael is, he really is a sweet guy when it comes to me and how he stands by his own.

Doesn't matter whether it's Splinter, his brothers, me, April, Irma or whatever. He's just a loyal guy.

He really is a great father and I knew he was the one ever since that first night we were together and I still can't believe how good our intimate relationship still is. I literally am the definition of being happily married.

Even though my colleagues make snide side comments about why I was married to a construction worker and how I should be married to a college graduate for someone like me and the lineage I come from, but they just say that because I think they are just jealous of my life.

I'm happily married, I have two great kids, and I just have a good private life in general.

My female colleagues are the ones who really show it and make smartass comments about Raphael. They're the ones that are married to other male scientists and would make you think that they would be well suited… not at all. It's like they are too similar to act like a couple and get along.

I see it at my staff formal dinners especially.

While I'm usually holding hands or holding onto Raph's arm most of the time, the rest of the couples seem very cold and almost unfeeling to each other. Sure Raph tries to still keep a cool expression in public to maintain his_ tough guy persona_, but we looked like a couple.

It's like my colleagues and their spouses didn't even acknowledge each other's existence. It's like they only chose to marry each other for some calculated and strange reason like social standing or _genetic_ purposes. Which to me is really messed up.

Sure my parents were both Physicists, but they got married out of love and mutual attraction. Not for some calculated thing to have a higher chance of producing highly intelligent children or increasing financial or social standing.

That could have happened with me too. I could've fallen for a guy who was like me, but I just didn't. But in fact, I think that's why Raph and I work. He may not be on the same intellect level as me but he's not stupid. I actually think he's a smart guy. Also, we still have a lot in common despite everything. Mentally and _Physically_.

After almost 15 years of being intimate, we have a great _personal_ life. Back there, even though it took all my willpower to stop him, I desperately wanted to. After almost 14 years of being married and two kids on top of that, I still love him more than anything.

I went through really bad times when I was younger, but I am so lucky to have the life I do now.

I got to the kitchen and I stopped when I noticed Molly sitting with a glass of water at the kitchen table.

"Molly?" I say, kind of curious and concerned. She's never done anything like this before and I was kind of concerned. Molly whipped her head up to look at me in slight surprise before replying, "Oh, hey mom. I, I was just going."

She tried to get up and walk past me but I stopped her. This wasn't like Molly, not at all.

"Molly, are you okay? Is something wrong?" I ask concerned. She shook her head and said, "No… it's… it's nothing." She was trying to cover up something and I wasn't buying what she just told me.

"Molly, it's okay. You can tell me if you need to talk about something." I say and put my hand on her shoulder. Molly bit her lip and looked away slightly before looking back at me and saying, "I don't want to bother you. I'm fine." She tried to get past me again and I stopped her.

"Molly Lisa Hamato, you are not fine. You have tough skin like me and your father and if you are jumping around like a deranged kangaroo right now, then something is definitely not fine. Now, sit." I say and make her sit back down. I sat across from her and we were both quiet for a while.

"Molly, I'm your mother, you can trust me." I assure and put my hand over hers on the table.

I know I wanted to name my children after my parents and it was painful at first, but it felt comforting now that I made that choice and that Raph was also for it. I'm able to remember my parents whenever I look at them.

Molly took a deep breath and said, "Mom, if I tell you, you cannot tell dad or uncle Leo or anyone." I sighed and accidently said, "You too?"

_Shit. I wasn't supposed to say that._

It just reminded me of what happened earlier with Leo. "Me too, what?" She asks, looking really puzzled by what I just said. I covered up my previous slip and countered, "Nothing, just had a long day… But you can tell me, Molly. I promise I won't tell anyone. Trust me."

Molly looked nervous and still remained silent. Her fingers thrumming on the table top. This is just so strange. Molly is like me and almost nothing ever bothers her and she looked dead set on me not telling Raphael. What could… I smiled a little as a realization dawned on me.

"Does a boy have anything to do with it?" I ask, knowingly but also trying to remain on her side.

I know Raph hates boys around our daughter, but I think its kind of exciting. Besides, I was kind of getting concerned about Molly hating everyone in her school, especially the boys. So that fact that she could have a possible crush is a relief to know she likes anyone at all.

Molly looked at me and nodded slightly.

I know my husband is ridiculous. If Raph had his way he would skin any boy alive that even looks at her, but I don't. To me it is completely normal for her to feel like this. She's going to be 14 and I had crushes at her age and even before that. Also, I don't think Molly isn't prepared enough to feel this way. Molly is a very intelligent, mature, and responsible girl for her age.

"Molly, this is completely normal and don't worry about me, I'm your ally and I swear I won't tell your father a thing." I say.

"I just really hate lying to dad about something. It just feels so wrong." She says. I smiled to myself. It was times like this that confirmed that my daughter was raised well. "You and me both." I say and we both laugh a little. I took a moment to look at Molly smiling a little.

Even though she does favor her father physically overall, Molly does resemble me in her mannerisms and attitude more.

* * *

><p>I was walking back to my room after that little talk with Molly.<p>

She didn't give me any specifics but I wasn't about to make her regret having a crush and being overly nosey. As much as I want to know about the boy that has captured my daughter's attention. I held my tongue and right now I was holding two things away from my own husband.

But, I have to cover it up for now.

I just hope that Raphael will be more rational with these cases later on.

**The talk will come up later and this I confess was filler for the most part and I also wanted to give Mona's perspective. My semester just started and I'll be very busy in the coming months. But, I will update when I can. Thank you and have a good one.**

**-Dexter1995**


	12. Closure

**(Molly's POV)**

I was writing in my journal and I just didn't get anything.

I've been out of my mind since Kaito kissed me last week. I haven't seen him since then either. Nothing made sense to me. One second he was like a leech and the next he just cast off.

I'm just so confused. I have no idea what to feel. Especially when mom called him my _crush_.

I barely told her anything about him. Not about the Foot Clan thing or his name or anything if I want to remain alive.

In fact, I have no idea what to feel about him. Do I like him? Ugh, why did he ever have to freaking show up?! Kaito just sets me on edge in a way I never expected. He was irritating but mature, kind of dangerous yet interesting.

I hate boys. They just over complicate things.

But still… why did he just start ignoring me all of a sudden?

**(Leo's POV)**

I was taken by surprise last night, by Karai.

All she told me was that Kaito wanted to talk to me. I'm still in shock. My son actually wants to see me.

I wanted Karai to stay and _talk_ with me but she just ran off after she had her say. That woman is still the most bullheaded and beyond stubborn person I know. That's saying a lot coming from the guy with Mona Lisa and April O'Neil, who are also both entirely stubborn, as sisters-in-law.

Why is this so difficult for her? I love her… and I know that she feels the same way too deep down about me. So why is this so hard for her just to admit that she feels that way about me?

But, I'll have to put that in the back seat right now.

Karai told me that Kaito will meet me on the Biarly Building tonight. A place I knew all too well. The place Karai first told me to meet her 17 years ago that first night I met her.

I was on my bike as I was trying to clear my head on my way over to Mikey and Irma's. They invited me over for dinner and the Knick's game was on this afternoon and I was going over to watch it, which I am bracing myself for the barrage by my nephews.

It's not that I don't love them or think they are bad. They're actually really good boys… They're just really, really _crazy_.

Those boys are definitely more like Mikey than Irma. Well, Tommy is actually really smart like his mother but all three of those boys are just these loud, insane balls of energy like my brother.

I'm not saying Tony or Benji aren't smart, they just have an even higher inability to sit still and pay attention like my brother when he was younger. I just hope they calm down later on like Mikey did; however, he's still the same guy deep down, even as an adult.

Especially from what Irma tells me about Mikey's behavior nowadays.

Mikey has _matured_ a little more over the years, but he's still the same in many ways. He still has his weird habits and shows it by doing weird things in front of their house. His usual thing he likes doing every morning is meditating in the front yard while doing a handstand in nothing but a pair of shorts and a bandana tied around his forehead. That usually got a lot of weird looks from their neighbors.

One time I even asked Irma if it embarrassed her, but she just shrugged and told me that she really didn't care and that she liked it. Irma then went on to tell me that she liked Mikey's behavior. She said that before Mikey, her life was very quiet and boring, until he showed up.

As much as it still confuses, Irma is the first and only woman that ever was genuinely attracted to Mikey and accepted him as he is. But I was happy for that, for both of them.

As different as Mikey and Irma were, night and day different really, they were well suited and are really happy together.

I just remember when they told us they were getting married. That was a weird day.

The thought of anyone wanting to marry Mikey seemed totally impossible to me then. But I really was happy for them. They were also the only ones to have an actual wedding in our group. Mona and Raph's was said and done in a day and happened extremely quickly and quietly and April didn't really want a wedding since she barely has any family and her and Donnie just had a small ceremony with just Kirby and the rest of us.

Also, April and Donnie just wanted something quiet to begin with.

Irma really didn't even care to have one either but her parents insisted and would not take no for an answer. Not to mention anything that could mean a party gets an immediate yes from Mikey. It was actually really fun. It was the one and only real wedding my brothers and I ever went to.

The only thing that unsettled me was that some of Irma's cousins kept flirting with me when she told them I was single. But, I didn't like it and it always feels wrong and dishonorable to me when other woman tried to flirt and show interest in me.

I just don't see why women always look at me and flirt with me. I don't think I'm a vain man and I think I'm _okay_ but I just don't get why they find me that appealing or desirable or anything like that.

Also, I wasn't free then and I'm still not free now. Especially now that I've found her again. Anyway, Irma and Mikey just kind of settled into normal life after that.

After Mikey going to culinary school and learning to make food a little less insanely, he got a job as a sous chef. It's still kind of hard to believe that Mikey, my eccentric younger brother who used to combine pizza and milkshakes together and then drink them, actually has a job and makes money cooking food for people and being trusted with it. But who am I to say something like that.

In reality Mikey's more successful than me in many ways and to be honest, just like I am toward Raph and Donnie, I envy him...

Well, then Irma used her accounting degree and got a job as an accountant at the same bank as her father. It's just so weird how my brothers, well mostly Mikey in my mind, settled into these normal lives and were living life we always wanted deep down.

As much as I wish my life could be like that and live normally topside. Yet, I know it probably never will be entirely that. But, I knew I made that decision when I involved myself with Karai.

Well, at least I can use this visit to distract myself until tonight.

But I am prepared for tonight to talk to Kaito. I assume he's going to want some kind of explanation. But if that's what he wants, then I'd be more than willing to tell him anything he wants to know.

**(Kaito's POV)**

Mother told me to meet him at this high rise tonight. Am I seriously doing this? I have to be completely mad.

But… this is my father, my actual father.

He's a Hamato and next to Hamato Yoshi, grandfather has always mentioned his dislike for Leonardo especially for always getting in the way of his plans. But, I want to be able to talk to him.

It's a curiosity and after living a lie by my own mother, I need something to make sense of everything.

I scaled to the top and I felt kind of nervous. Leonardo and I haven't exactly been at the best terms. I tried to kill him twice, only for him to put me back in my box. Then again he is pretty much 18 years older than me and has been in the field longer than me like my mother.

I just have so many unanswered questions.

I got to the roof and I saw him. He was looking out at the skyline with his hands clasped behind his back. I felt it again as I walked toward him.

I was about to speak when he said, "Hello Kaito." He turned around to face me and he was actually _smiling _at me as he continued, "I'm glad you came."

I didn't know exactly how to reply. I had no idea how to address him or anything. He is my father but… I don't know.

"I understand if this whole situation is still shocking for you and it is for me too, trust me. But if you feel uncomfortable calling me something, then just call me Leo." He explains and smiles at me.

It felt so weird.

He barely knew me and I barely knew him, yet I felt something coming off of him that I never expected, trust. Well, since I can't even trust my own mother right now, at least I have something.

"Leo." I say and bow my head in respect. I did respect him. He's my father sure and I should respect him because of that but I also respected him for his skill, a skill I hope to achieve when I'm older.

He kept smiling at me as he bowed his head back to me in return.

After a long awkward silence we sat down on these AC units at the top of the building. Well, this was it. It was what I wanted. I was here with my father and he was just looking at me like he was expecting me to say something.

I remained silent.

My knee was bouncing up and down involuntarily from nerves as I tried to figure out how to approach it until he spoke, "So… your mother said you wanted to talk to me." I looked at him finally and took a deep breath to relax a little before replying, "Yes, I just… I wanted to know somethings."

It was silent again before he said, "What would you like to know?" He was looking at me, genuine in what he said. Leonardo actually looked like he wanted to help me. This was it. Time to just come out with it.

"Everything." I finally say, dead serious.

**(Leo's POV)**

It was dead silent.

Kaito had a hand clutched into his hair. His eyes were wide as saucers. I literally just told him everything and I mean everything. Everything from how I came to be to when his mother disappeared almost 15 years ago.

Well, I left out some _details_ during the time Karai and I were intimate to spare him from being entirely scarred for the rest of his life all in one night.

His expression just kept twisting in confusion as the story went on. Not that I blame him. I even felt shocked as I went on with practically my life story.

My life seriously was pretty messed up.

When I told him I used to be a mutant turtle, he looked at me like I was messing around and that I was crazy, until I showed him the picture. It was a picture of me and my brothers that I brought with me from when we were still turtles.

After that, Kaito was especially silent. Again, I totally understand. It isn't everyday you find out your father was a product of a double mutation. I mean seriously, my brothers and I went from actual turtles to humanoid turtles to humans… again, that's pretty messed up.

Kaito was still staring at the photograph in his hand until he handed it back to me and I replaced it in my belt. Then he finally let out a deep breath after taking almost a full 10 minutes to process everything.

"Okay, so what your telling me is that I'm technically part turtle?" He comments and I could tell by his expression that he wasn't joking at all. I could tell he was still in shock by everything but I decided to lighten it up a little.

"Well, not really, no. Technically maybe, but trust me I've been like this since I was 15. Just believe me when I say that you're in the clear of anymore weirdness than there already is. You're human, I can promise you that." I say and we both let out a slight laugh.

This felt right. After all this time of not knowing what to do about anything. It felt like a relief to finally be able to talk to him, to talk to my son.

It was quiet again and all I could hear was Kaito's fingers thrumming nervously against the metal of the AC unit. I was just waiting for him to process everything and speak in his own time.

Finally Kaito let out a sigh and started, "Leonardo…" "Leo, please." I interject with a smile. I wanted to show him that he could trust me.

After not knowing me the whole 14 years of his life, I had to make up for lost time.

Kaito nodded and started again, "Leo, I want to apologize. For how I spoke to you before. I was acting dishonorable and rude to you and I wanted to apologize for my behavior. I had no idea, of anything." I was shocked by it slightly. I never even thought of it that way.

"You don't need to apologize. How could you have known? You were just defending your mother's honor. That is something I can completely respect. If anything I should apologize to you for approaching you that way and airing those opinions of mine about your mother to you." I apologize.

Kaito shrugged and replied, "You don't need to either. I just still feel like an awful prig for acting like that… I just still can't believe she lied to me. I always thought my father was actually dead this whole time. I feel so stupid." He said that last part after a really long pause.

I could tell it really was something that was hitting him really hard. His expression seemed angry frustrated, and… hurt.

"Don't feel too bad. Besides… if it makes you feel any better, you aren't the first man your mother kept the truth from. Take it from someone who gets it." I say and I hesitantly reached out my hand and rested it on his shoulder.

He looked up at me and gave me a weird look, not knowing how to take my gesture. Then I saw a corner of his mouth curl up at me. I don't know why, but that made me feel really good to see that.

I smiled back as I retracted my hand and clasped my hands together again.

Another period of silence struck as I waited for anything else he wanted to say. "Can I… ask you something?" He asks, glancing at me a little in hesitance. "Of course, anything you want." I assure.

"I know this sounds kind of snide, but… what was the _attraction_ between you and my mother?" He asks and I quirked an eyebrow up at him.

He actually wanted to know about my relationship, or whatever it was, with Karai.

"What do you mean exactly?" I ask, wanting to know exactly what he meant. "Well… okay like I said, I don't mean to sound like a prig but… your both just so…" "Different?" I finish and he nodded at me.

It was strange seeing this side of Kaito. That arrogant Foot ninja facade was gone. All I saw now was a 14 year old boy that just wanted to know the truth.

I ran a hand through my hair as I clicked my tongue on the roof of my mouth.

"Well… Okay Kaito, I'll be completely honest with you. I don't know what your mother told you about what happened between us, but I want you to know my side. When I was a young man with your mother, I was like an 8 year old with a hundred dollar bill. I was just shiny and dumb and did almost anything your mother wanted me to. Well, I drew lines at stealing and things like that. But, you get my point. Just don't jump to any conclusions. I didn't do that because I was only attracted to your mother. I also respected her. Your mother is a kunoichi and I respect anyone with her impressive skill set. Your mother was smart, strong, concise… and she still is. I'll be honest when I say that... I loved her." I admit.

"Do you still… love my mother?" Kaito asks hesitantly, his expression entirely intrigued. I internally was surprised by his comment, but I knew he was just being curious and wanting to know about his parents.

But, I sighed before further admitting, "Honestly… Yes, I do. Even after everything she's done to me, I still cannot get over your mother. I'm sorry Kaito. I wish your mother would have told me something, but she just left before I even knew she was going to have you. She's been an enigma to me since the beginning and I still have no idea what to do with her. The moment I got close to her, she immediately puts her walls up. Call me pathetic, I'll totally understand if you think that way." I completed just vented all of that to Kaito and to be honest, I didn't care to an extent.

I've been holding that in since she left.

"You're not pathetic. I know my mother isn't the _easiest_ to understand, but that's just how she is. The only person she's ever shown any affection and care for as far as I knew was me. But even with me she always looked like she was hiding something. She's not a _social, attachment_ type person for some reason but…" He stopped talking for some reason and looked like he was really thinking.

"But what?" I ask.

"A couple years ago, I walked into my mother's room after I came back inside from shooting and I saw her sitting on her bed looking into this box. But she immediately put it away before I could see what was in it. When I persisted in asking her what it was, she told me it had to do with my father, which now would mean you. I still have no idea what exactly was in it or what she meant by it. It was just really weird." He says and I was really intrigued.

What could something in a box have anything to do with me? But it also somewhat confirmed what I always knew deep down about her.

I looked at Kaito and still saw that hurt and angry expression on his face. I knew he was still angry with Karai about lying to him, but I had to make something clear to him right now. As much as I was still angry at her too, I don't want Kaito to spite her.

"Kaito, try to forgive your mother." I say. "Why? After she broke my trust like that, how could I ever trust her again?" He says back, still angry.

"Because she's your mother and I know you don't see it and I know it was hard for me to see it too at first, but I think she did what she thought was right because she thought it was best for you. She cares about you more than I've ever seen her care about anything. You can trust me on that." I say, wanting Kaito to get my point.

He did eventually nod at me and say, "I'll try."

Kaito looked at this clock on a nearby skyscraper before looking back at me and saying, "I think I'm going to head out." I nod and reply, "Of course." I was about to walk away when I heard, "Leonardo… I mean, Leo."

I turned around to face him again. "I want to thank you for being honest to me. I mean it." He says and he actually did give me a look that expressed gratitude as he bowed his head to me again.

"Your welcome, Kaito. It was no problem." I reply with a slight smile. "Would you mind if we… talked more later. Tomorrow night? " He asks, curious. I knew he wanted to know more and I was practically exploding internally that my son actually wanted to talk to me more.

"Definitely. Same time same place?" I ask. He smirked a little as he nodded.

I nodded a little back and then we both went off in our separate directions.

**Hope you enjoyed the father son talk. Please tell me your opinions and I hope you enjoyed the chapter.**


	13. Introspective

**You are all very kind for your amazing reviews, Thank you for that. Here's a brief aftermath of the previous chapter. Mainly filler to lead up to the next chapter, but I hope you all enjoy it nonetheless. :)**

**(Karai's POV)**

I was sitting up, waiting for Kaito to come in.

It was almost 1 AM and he still wasn't home.

I still couldn't believe this was all happening. Kaito actually wanted to talk to Leo and... I helped him do it. I was sipping a cup of tea as I looked at the door. My fingers thrumming against the cup in my hands.

I just still can't believe it. I'm way beyond the point of stress.

I actually couldn't help myself earlier tonight. I was watching them for a little while from another rooftop with a pair of binoculars just to see. The gravity of what was occurring didn't fully hit me until I actually saw it.

Kaito and Leo were actually together and talking to each other. Looking at them side by side made everything around me slow down and I felt my heartbeat in my ears. Just seeing these two people I tried so hard to keep apart together… it was unbelievable.

I actually left and came back to my quarters after only a couple minutes.

I just feel so empty and lost. I had no idea what to do.

Okay, Kaito met Leo and knows now that Leo's his father… but now what happens?

Ugh, I just… the door opened and Kaito slipped through the doorway before closing the door behind him. He stepped in slow strides into the room. I tried to be nonchalant about him returning, it was also meant to show that I'm not turning into a basket case even though on the inside I really felt like one.

"Hello mother."

I whipped my head in his direction in slight surprise. Kaito was standing there rigid and looking way from me and only giving me slight glances out of the corner of his eye. Even though he was still being distant with me, that was the first time he's legitimately addressed me in days.

I'll admit… it was a shock to me at how civil he has been to me after almost 4 straight days of him staring daggers at me and not even speaking to me. I don't know why and as much as I still felt like a complete mess in my head… I felt a sense of relief that surged through me at this moment.

"Hello." I managed to get out. I was still in shock that he was actually being civil with me.

"So, did it… go well?" I ask after a long period of silence. Kaito was still trying to avoid me in his mind, I could tell. But he did evetually look in my direction. His eyes reflecting a multitude of things that almost barraged me as well.

"Um, yes… it did… I'm going to bed." Kaito says and then leaves the room briskly, probably to continue to avoid me again. I couldn't also help but wonder about Kaito's present state. He looked… tense, confused, and beyond drained. I wondered what exactly Leo told him.

I may never know exactly… but I think I have a hunch.

* * *

><p><strong>(Kaito's POV)<strong>

My eyes opened slowly and I eventually sat up as I looked around in my room. I scratched the back of my head as I swung my legs out over my bed.

This was the first night in days that I actually slept through the night. I don't know why. It was like last night gave me some sort of relief even though I still find it hard to believe.

I actually talked to my father, my _actual _father.

But… I don't know. I had an explanation, he gave me one. Okay, I know I'm not the first person to have this situation with finding out about my father, but I highly freaking doubt any of those people in history before me had a more messed up situation than me.

My father… used to be a mutant, a mutant turtle. I mean… _holy shit_.

I mean it! This is insane!

Okay, sure my father is human now, and has been human since he was 15… but… you know what? This is still just so beyond messed up. Leonardo literally gave me the longest, craziest, and most f-ed up story ever about everything leading up to how I exist, but it did help answer some questions, a lot of my questions actually.

But I am still so confused and that's why I wanted to talk to him again tonight.

But somehow… I don't know.

I also actually, _liked_ talking to him. It was so crazy, but I actually really did. I felt comfortable around Leonardo. He's my father yes, but we only actually talked for the first time last night.

Yet… I liked him. He wasn't what my grandfather told me he was.

My grandfather always told me that the Hamato Clan was nothing but a bunch of underhanded, lying, dishonorable scum. But I didn't see Leonardo like that at all. He was nothing like anything I was told.

When I met Leonardo and actually talked to him last night… I felt so confused about his personality. Leonardo was very nice, relaxed, and seemed like a very honorable man. Which led me to more questions that still were eating at me, most of them concerning he and my mother still. I know there is so much I still don't know about them.

I just hope I can get everything I have in my head answered later.

**(Leo's POV)**

I was eagerly waiting for later when I was meeting with Kaito again.

I was still really excited to see my son again and to be able to talk to him more.

I'm still surprised my story last night didn't completely put him off. But, it was just an overall good exchange last night considering that I probably scarred him for the rest of his life with just my origins alone.

But he actually took it in really well.

I remembered Molly having a similar reaction several months back when Raph and I told her, but I think it was a little easier for her considering that she actually knew her fraternal side her whole life and it made the whole _your father and your uncles all used to be mutants_ thing a lot more easy to accept.

With Kaito, he knew almost nothing about me including the key detail that I was his father until a few days ago, so the mutant thing was definitely a shock.

But I wasn't going to argue if Kaito wanted to talk to me again and I wanted to really leave an impression. I want to show him that I want to be involved with him. I want to be his father and show him that he could trust me.

It is the only thing keeping my mind occupied... other than Karai.

I just still have no idea what to do with that woman and she still isn't making anything easy for me or even wanting to talk to me to help me understand anything. I got up and walked over to my room and slowly made my way to my night stand and opened the drawer tentatively as I slowly revealed its contents that I do admit that I look that a lot more than I should.

After all this time, I still kept the two things Karai gave me: her sword and her… _personal token_.

Even though Kaito told me he didn't think I was pathetic, I felt like it sometimes. I'm a 32 year old man and I have been practically infatuated and borderline obsessed with Karai since the first time I saw her when I was 15. And I am still just trying to understand her, but she just makes everything with us so… _difficult_.

Whenever I asked her if she felt anything with me, she always gave me the cold shoulder or told me something like she didn't want to or that I wouldn't understand.

I may have no idea what to do with her… but our son actually has an interest in me and I wasn't about to pass up the opportunity to get to know my only child, my son. I just wanted to give him something.

But what should I… I looked in the corner of my room at this milk crate that I've had for as long as I could remember. I walked over and knelt down in front of it. It held my comic book collection. I randomly started to page through them until something caught my eye and I stopped dead in my tracks.

I wonder...

**I know it was short filler, but I promise next chapter will make up for it. Have a great weekend and please review if you can. **


	14. Veracity

**The father/son talk part 2. What will happen? Read on to find out and I hope you enjoy it.**

**(Leo's POV)**

Kaito just showed up a couple minutes ago and I can't deny how much I really enjoy talking to him. I also couldn't wait to give him what I found earlier today. Look, I just realized I'm a father and I missed out on the last 14 years of his life, I had some catching up to do.

It was going over well still with Kaito and I so far. It was something I still wasn't used to. It took me almost a full two years for Karai to even mildly warm up to me, but even she was still guarded with me.

I thought that was how it was going to be with Kaito as well, but I realized that wasn't right. Kaito is a lot more open and I'll even say kind of _social_ in a way. Kind of like me in a way. I wasn't entirely outgoing, but I was good with people.

Eventually, I finally got the courage to even ask about how he grew up. I just had to know and at first I thought I was overstepping my bounds when he stayed silent. I was afraid I took a step back by just asking him that.

That was until he shrugged and replied, "It was good enough. My life was very comfortable and I had nothing to complain about. Very isolated though, and I barely ever saw any other people unless my mother took me into town when I was little to get supplies to bring back home. I didn't mind though and I'm not like most people my age so I was fine with mother homeschooling me. Also, I may not be as antisocial as my mother, but I do admit that I like solitude and did a lot of things by myself while my mother was meditating or doing an occasional business something for my grandfather."

It was quiet, but I just still felt a twinge in me at the fact that I missed everything. But… like I said, I can't change it and need to make the best of it. I decided to try to change the subject slightly.

"So… what did you like to do back in Japan?" I ask and his answer was immediate, "Shooting. I love to go out shooting, hunting… anything where I can use my yumi." I tried to make note of that fact.

Then Kaito let out a laugh and said, "Yeah, I really like shooting at birds and in one outing I got about 6 pheasants, there's a ton of them in the forest outside the dojo, thinking it would save us a trip to town for picking up food. Mother scolded me a little for it and told me that if I was expecting her to prepare them, then I had another thing coming. But I didn't mind and I knew I probably had it coming."

I could tell that once he thought of the fact that he brought up that memory that seemed like a good one with Karai and then he scowled a little immediately afterward, I knew he was still upset with her for lying to him.

I decided to try to take his mind off it by continuing that I asked before and also to do something.

"Is there… anything else you like? Reading… or videogames… or TV?" I ask, wanting to know more about him. "Well, I'm more of an _outside_ person and I don't really like TV too much. But, I like reading sometimes. Sometimes mother would give me money to buy comics when I was little, but the selection was _limited_ where we were." Kaito explains and I felt something in me lift.

I couldn't stop myself from smiling a little. My son and I had something in common.

"Why? What kinds did you like?" I ask, discreetly pulling what I had out to give him, but still keeping it out of his sight. "Action/Adventure and Science Fiction mainly. Why?" He asks raising an eyebrow at me.

"Well, I was looking through some of my old comics this morning from when I was your age when I found this." I say and pulled it out and held it in front of me before handing it to him. "This is a signed copy of _Space Heroes_ issue #1. _Space Heroes_ was my favorite series when I was your age and I got this as soon as I had the money to get it. It's been one of my prized possessions, but I want you to have it." I say and smile a little at him.

I really did want him to have it and now that I know that he likes comics, I really wanted him to take it.

He gave me a hesitant look but I nodded and insisted, "Go ahead, take it. I want you to have it." It was still in it's plastic case. I haven't opened it since I put it in there after I first read it when I was 14. At first I wanted to save it to sell, but I think giving it to Kaito to build a relationship with my son seemed better than money to me.

Kaito grabbed it hesitantly as he looked at the cover. He gave it a confused look before looking back at me and saying, "Really?" "Definitely, I mean it. Take it. It will just sit in my room and collect dust if you don't take it."

It took a while as Kaito was looking at the comic perplexed before looking back at me and saying, "Thanks." I smiled slightly and nodded my head as he continued to look at the comic book.

"I've never heard of this." He says. "Well, it did discontinue about 17 years ago, and that kind of bummed my sister-in-law and I out. But it was by far my favorite series, the show was also very well done in my opinion." I say.

"This had a show?" He asks, looking confused. I felt slightly put out but I realized that my definition of what was cool is probably different than his definition, but I want him to have the comic all the same. "Oh yeah, it was on for several seasons and I watched it religiously. It is still my favorite show of all time. It had everything: Scifi, action, adventure... You don't have to read the comic, but…" "No, I'll give it a go. Thanks." He says with a slight smirk and nodded his head at me.

I realized something as I kept talking to Kaito… he acted like me.

He has this whole dangerous, ruthless, Foot ninja assassin cover, but underneath as I've seen from talking to him these past 2 nights… Kaito, to my slight surprise, was actually a... nice boy.

His mother was never good with saying thank you and I still don't understand anything about her motives with anything. But I will say that if I did commend anything Karai did with our son, it is that she raised him to be respectful, honorable, and… polite if I dare say it.

It was quiet again until Kaito spoke again, "You said you had a sister-in-law?" I was slightly surprised by his interest but I realized he was probably going to know about his fraternal side at some point.

He has a right to know his uncles, aunts, and even his cousins.

"Yes, well I actually have 3 of them. You may or may not know this but I'm the oldest out of my 4 brothers." I explain. "Grandfather did tell me that. But, I've only seen you out here patroling, so where are your brothers?" He asks, looking curious.

"Well, my two youngest brothers kind of live low profile these days. My youngest brother Michelangelo sometimes comes out with us but he works 6 nights a week every two weeks since his promotion and he and his wife also have 3 boys at least 5 years younger than you and if you ever meet your uncle, you'll see what I mean by my statement with his boys. Then there's my brother Donatello, or Uncle Don to you, and he's pretty much never here. Once he married your Aunt April, they moved closer to his April's father outside the city and live out in the rural suburbs with their 3 girls who are also quite younger than you, so we don't see much of him either." I clarify.

"Do any of your brothers patrol?" He asks.

"Well, my brother right behind me, Raphael, still does patrol nightly with me. His wife, your Aunt Mona, is the one I talked about earlier. She's been a really good friend of mine since I was 15 and my brother Raph is the one I am closest to these days as well and I'm also quite close to my niece and nephew from them. Their son is only 8 but, their daughter is your age and she actually trains under me and patrols with us now, Molly." I explain and look over at Kaito.

But I was perplexed when I looked over and saw him looking white as a ghost. Kaito has my extremely fair skin but he looked almost pale and drained now. His eyes were wide as saucers and his lips were pursed tightly together. His whole body looked rigid and his fists were clenched so tight that his knuckles were white.

I didn't understand why he looked almost disturbed.

Was it something I said?

**(Kaito's POV)**

I felt it. It was coming. Hold it. Don't… don't do… I felt it come up and I gagged but managed to force it back down.

I think Leonardo noticed me almost vomit because he asked, "Are you okay?"

I didn't know what to do. Well, right now I felt like I needed to pour bleach in my head, but… wait maybe I didn't hear him right. That can't be right. There's no way. "Wait, wait. What was her name again?" I ask, just wanting to clarify. "Molly." He says again, like it was nothing.

Okay, I guess I did hear him right.

I immediately clutched my hand into my hair and let out a long exhale through my nose, trying to come to grips with what I just found out. "Kaito? Are you okay?" He asks. I slowly looked at him and responded, "Well, define okay. If by physically then yes but mentally no way." He gave me a confused look.

"Kaito what's going… wait, have you met her already?" He asks.

Well, this is beyond horrifying, considering that now I just realized I've practically been going to pretty much the line of incest with this girl I've been crushing on over a month... and this might as well happen. Like my life can't get anymore screwed up, right?

"Yes, a few times." I start, gritting my teeth. I saw his expression turn as he noticed the way I said it. "Kaito, what's going on? Did something happen?" He asks, still not totally getting it.

I cringed knowing I was going to have to own up to what I actually did… with my… _cousin._

I shuddered to myself.

**(Leo's POV)**

I was so confused by Kaito's behavior. He was acting really _strange_ and I was so perplexed by his response.

He said he met Molly but I don't get why he's acting like this because of it. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Kaito?" I say again, getting concerned. He still remained silent.

Then several moments later he spoke, "Okay, I'm just going to start off by saying I had no idea. I didn't know you were my father. I didn't know she was my cousin and…" "Wait, wait, wait… what?" I say, stopping Kaito's semi crazed and defensive rant.

Kaito was silent again, trying to think.

"Kaito, what happened?" I ask and I was a little frightened by what he could possibly want to tell me. He let out another deep breath and he was gripping his fingers into his quads. Looking almost on the verge of losing his mind.

"Okay… Molly and I… we… well, we… kinda… _kissed_." I slowly and almost robotically looked in his direction as I processed what he just told me. "No." I say in disbelief. He nodded and replied, "Yes." After about five more times of saying either 'yes' or 'no', we both stopped.

While I was somewhat shocked by it, I had to remind myself of the facts. Kaito, and especially Molly, had no idea. How could they have known they were related like this? Kaito had no idea he was my son until just recently and Molly had no idea I even had a probability of fathering a boy that would be her age and be in the Foot Clan, her cousin.

Molly had no idea of my past with Karai or even knew who Karai was.

"Look, I literally had no idea and don't blame Molly. It was all me. I was the one that kept... _pushing in_ on her. We only kissed once and it was all me. I just…" "Kaito... it's okay. There was no way either of you could have known. You are cousins but you shared no _family resemblance_ to each other to even cause any suspicions. I do not criticize you at all." I assure.

It was silent again.

"Should I tell her? Since I'm the one that got us into this fix." I look at Kaito and see him looking at me in absolute seriousness. "No, she should know from me first and then you can talk to her later." I assure.

I felt obligated to do this. I do not criticize either my son or my niece. After all I'm the idiot that decided to tell Mona to keep Kaito a secret from Molly, and I trust Molly. I trust her as much as trust her mother.

I have to be the one to tell her.

_**The next day**_

**(Molly's POV)**

I walked into the dojo, ready for training when I saw uncle Leo standing there. But he looked... _off_.

I tilted my head at him.

"Uncle? Is something wrong?" I ask, concerned. "Well, I don't know exactly but I feel like this has to be talked about, now." He replies and sits on the floor and motions for me to sit across from him.

I don't know why, but I felt immediately unsettled by that. Am I in trouble? Oh crap, did he see me deck Nick last week out front of school when he came to walk with me to the lair?

"Oh-kay?" I say, inflecting my voice. I was freaked out.

I knew it! He knows I did it. I just…

"Molly, I want to talk to you about something and I think it something you oute to know. Molly, when I was 15, I developed an _interest_ in a young kunoichi from the Foot Clan, her name was Karai, and I was _involved_ with her for almost 2 years until she all of a sudden out of nowhere left about 15 years ago." He explains.

I was so confused. Okay, well... this is new. I never figured my _goody-two shoes_ uncle Leo to do something like that with a kunoichi the Foot Clan but, okay. "Okay?" I say confused.

"Molly... this is about Kaito." He says and my eyes went wide as saucers and my stomach dropped.

_Oh… crap. I knew it! I knew it! My uncle knows and he's going to reprimand me for fraternizing with the enemy._

"Look, uncle. I didn't want to talk to him. He kept flirting with me. I don't know if I even like him. I tell him to go away but he just won't leave me…"

"Molly, just hear me out. That 15 years ago when Karai left and I had no idea why… I recently just did find out. Molly, the reason she left was because she was pregnant and she had a child back in Japan, a boy." He explains and I felt so confused and on the verge of losing my mind.

"Uncle, what are you saying? I know. I won't repeat your _thing_ and let things with Kaito get…" "Molly, just listen… Molly, Karai wasn't just any kunoichi from the Foot Clan and her son, our son, isn't just any boy. Karai's the Shredder's daughter and her son, our son, is the Shredder's grandson." He explains.

_Oh god, is he saying…_

"Molly... Kaito's my son, your cousin."

**Well, now that's in the open. How are Molly and Kaito going to react? Wait until next time to find out. I thank you all so much for reading and reviews are very much appreciated. Have a good one!**

**-Dexter1995**


	15. Acquiesce

**Hello my readers! Thank you for all the amazing comments, very much appreciated. I would like to take this opportunity to address a 'guest' review. The turtles are not related by blood, but just keep something in mind. They were raised together from infancy as brothers and even though they are not genetically related, they see themselves as blood and would do anything to defend each other. Also, from my own life, two of my cousins are brothers but the younger of the two of them is adopted, but it is like my adopted cousin is not even adopted at all to that side of my family. I consider him a cousin and love him as much as all my cousins who are related to me. Trust me, I totally get your statement with Leorai being adoptive siblings and Leo still having feelings for her in the current series… which is totally fine by me. Being a die hard Leorai shipper myself, so you know I am a huge supporter of them in the series. By the way, in the most recent episode "Serpent Hunt", I loved the 1987 element they've now thrown into the plot and I will say that Kaito and Molly's feelings will be expressed in this chapter. This chapter begins after an hour after Leonardo and Kaito's talk from last chapter. Enjoy!**

**(Kaito's POV)**

I burst into my room and shut and locked the door behind me.

Mother wasn't here, probably with my grandfather talking about something, but I was glad to not have anyone in our quarters.

I stripped everything on my body off and then burst into the bathroom. I turned the shower on as hot as I could stand it. I immediately jumped in and the streams of water were almost scalding on my skin, but I felt like I needed it.

I was washing everything I could possibly clean on my body four times over. I just felt completely out of my mind after what I just found out tonight.

It was like I just felt… _dirty_.

I just felt so thoroughly disgusted with myself. I just found out that Molly, a girl that I've been crushing on and kissed once, is my cousin. Leonardo tried to make me feel better by saying that Molly and I weren't technically related by blood, but that still doesn't make it any less disturbing to me.

Molly's still considered my cousin… it's just _weird_!

I still feel like such an idiot. How could I have not seen this coming?! After all those things Molly told me about her being trained by her grandfather, parents, and uncle and her uncle, my father, being one of the greatest ninjas she's ever seen.

Also there was that _technically human_ comment she told me about… Am I seriously that stupid?! Especially now that I know that I'm the same way. I am technically human, but Leonardo used to be a mutant turtle before he became human.

Seriously, now that I had everything connected together, it all made so much sense. But, it's still totally messed up.

After I got out of the shower and at least felt _cleaner_ on the outside, I immediately went to the sink and probably brushed my teeth like 5 times before I finally spitting into the sink one last time and hovering over it.

I was trying to collect myself.

* * *

><p>I was laying on my bed and staring at my ceiling as I was trying to think with my arms behind my head.<p>

I looked calm, but my head felt like a hornet nest about to burst.

When I was little and even now, I always wanted more family in my life. But with my grandfather's whole family and Clan dead and my mother being an only child, I pretty much have little to no family.

I'm not even sure about my whole family.

I don't even know about my grandmother. Every time I asked my mother about her, all she would tell me was that she was _gone_ and that she didn't want to talk about it. And 'gone' could mean so many different things that I have no freaking idea what.

Then one time I asked my grandfather about her after my mother's response about my grandmother and he immediately told me to hold my tongue and that it was none of my concern and when my grandfather puts his foot down, I know to keep my mouth shut.

He is my grandfather and I give him the respect he deserves, but he is also a very harsh, coarse man that intimidates the crap out of pretty much everyone.

But, either way, I had barely any family… until now.

I actually found my real father and that opens up a whole new side for me. I actually have a technical extended family on that side. Uncles, Aunts, and... cousins. But now I found out something that still makes me feel like a complete fool.

I kissed and crushed on my own cousin. I did it.

The one and only cousin my own age that I had and I made things totally awkward with us now.

Look, I don't feel the way I used to about Molly now. But… she is my cousin and I just want to make things _okay_. I don't care about anything. I just want to make sure things were okay with us.

She's my cousin and I do want us to be that way now. I really like Molly and I still respect her completely.

She's the only person I know that seems like she totally gets me at this point. We're both pretty much the same age and skilled ninjas and she's mature unlike every other person my age that I know. Back home as well as here.

Even though I feel like ripping out my eyes right now, I just want to see her tomorrow night and just make sure things were cool with us.

I just hope we can get past it.

_**The next night**_

**(Molly's POV)**

I got the end of my perimeter and immediately sat on the ledge of the billboard as I stared out into the city skyline, my mind still processing what I found out from Uncle Leo several hours ago.

This is seriously insane, but I kick myself so freaking hard for not seeing it before.

Kaito, the grandson of the Shredder, is my uncle's son. Making him my cousin. I seriously must be so damn stupid! How could I not see it?! The more I think of it the more I want to ask someone to beat me up for being so clueless.

I always thought Kaito looked so familiar to me… well, yeah kind of no shit considering he looked _exactly_ like uncle Leo. I mean it! Almost a mirror image, save for the eyes.

But that brings up so many other different questions.

I had no idea how this could have possibly happened. Uncle Leo is the definition of a pious man and I have never seen him do anything bad ever… so how the Hell did he end up getting involved with the Shredder's daughter that I had no idea even existed until recently.

But, everyone has a dark secret and I'm guessing that when he was in a relationship with her that it was like my uncle's version of a _dark side, _if that's possible for my goody two shoes uncle to have one.

But I have no right to criticize. After all I'm the dumb twit that kissed my own cousin.

Uncle Leo told me that Kaito already knew everything and how he's been talking to him these past couple nights, which explains Kaito's absence from messing with my head these past few patrols.

Look, sure Kaito and I technically aren't blood related, but he's still my cousin and my favorite uncle's son. That to me is quite enough. Well, at least now I know how to feel about Kaito.

I just don't really know where to really go from… "Hey."

I whipped my head to the side only to be face to face with the current mental topic circling my head, my cousin. I maintained a casual thing about me to not look totally crazy. "Hey." I replied quickly before looking back out to the skyline.

Out of my peripheral vision, Kaito sat next to me on the billboard's catwalk. We sat in probably the most awkward silence in the history of the world. All I kept hearing were the occasional passing cars and Kaito's fingers thrumming against the metal surface of the catwalk.

"Did he tell you?" He asks. "No, I was sent a note by carrier pigeon, no duh I was told." I say, still feeling awkward. Trying to maintain my usual wit was my only defense right now.

It was quiet again as Kaito let out a sigh.

"Look Molly, I had literally no idea." He admitted, sounding like he was sort of saying sorry for something. "Oh you don't say? What was the alternative? You knew we were cousins to start with yet you flirted with me anyway because you're into that kind of thing?" I say and hop down from the catwalk.

Kaito followed me and got in front of me to cut me off.

"Molly, I know, I know. But, I want you to know that I was just as much in the dark as you were. Up until four days ago I thought my father was dead until my mother finally stopped lying to me and finally told the truth for once and I have no idea what else she's lied to me about." He said and ran a hand through his hair and actually walked away from me.

My eyes kept following him until he went to the wall of the building next to us.

He put his hand against the wall as he took a deep breath in and out. "I was lied to my whole life, my father was a mutant, and I kissed my own cousin, " He let out a short laugh before continuing, "I seriously don't think I could possibly be anymore screwed in so many ways."

I was so confused. I've never seen this side of Kaito before.

Up until now, I thought Kaito was just some flirty, irritating, and confident Foot Clan bad boy type. But… that wasn't the guy I was looking at right now. This was a real guy who was completely out of his mind with disbelief and slight anger.

In fact, at this moment, I felt… sorry for him.

Look, I know about the messed up story with my dad being a mutant as a teenager too. But my situation was more _ideal_ than his. I completely take my life for granite. I have two happily married parents and a really, really great home situation.

Kaito did not.

His mother raised him on the lie that his father was dead and now just had that whole situation torn up now that he found out… and now he knows everything. He knows who his real father is, he knows how he really _came to be_, and above all… he knows his mother lied to him.

That is something that really got to me that I also always take for granite.

It was the trust I had in my mom. I trusted my mother with everything and if I found out she lied to me the way Kaito's mother did… I would probably feel just like him.

All of a sudden it hit me like a truck. It was like an epiphany. Kaito and I had more in common than I thought. Not just ninjutsu and all that superficial stuff that doesn't really matter, but _real_ stuff.

I'm not going to lie.

Although I know that my family loves me as a whole, at family gatherings… I was an outsider in a way. Me and Uncle Leo always felt like spare parts and that I think is another reason why we're close.

Uncle Leo was an outsider for just being the lonely uncle with no wife, family, or even a girlfriend and I was an outsider for another reason. It's simple really. Just look at me compared to my cousins for a second.

Because I was pretty much an _oops_, to put it nicely, and all of my other cousins and Jimmy were _conceived_ in the usual way of things in society… Look I'm 5 years older than my next oldest cousin, Marie, and she's 9.

I'm the oldest and on top of that I'm mature for my age.

At family gatherings I had no one on my level. I was the only teenager and the rest of my cousins and my brother were… well, kids.

Sure as much as I think Tony, Tommy, and Benji are totally immature and insane, my brother was at least able to _bond_ with them over crazy wrestling games and weird and gross little boy stuff. Jimmy was included with people that understood him.

Even Marie and Rosalind, though they are my favorite cousins, were also too young for me. They're just girls and like to do little girl things that I'm too old to enjoy now. Then with Edith, forget it… she's a freaking infant so I am definitely not bonding with her much.

All I did was sit at those gatherings and try to read magazines or watch Football with my dad and uncles to try to fit in somewhere.

I really was a spare part.

I deep down just wanted someone my age who would understand me in my family and little did I know; I've had one ever since I was born. Sure Kaito is in the Foot Clan and I'm pledged to the Hamato Clan for my grandfather and uncles, but we had so much in common.

With my family I felt like such an outcast, but… I felt a little less of that now.

I hesitantly walked up to Kaito and tried to come up with a reaction. I didn't know what to do so I decided to just start simple. I reached out my hand and rest it on his shoulder. I was trying to show comfort of some kind.

Kaito glanced in my direction in slight surprise.

"Trust me, I understand more than you think." I assure and try to smirk at him.

He rose an eyebrow at me and asked, "What do you mean?" I smirk and reply, "Let's just say my life didn't begin so _cut and dry_ either." I motioned to the edge of the building and we both sat down before I continued, "Believe it or not, I was _unexpected _with my parents too."

"I doubt it was more messed up than what Leonardo told me that he and mother did to lead to me. Sneaking off after patrols to an old, run down tenement... luckily he spared me of detail." He admitted and snorted out a laugh.

I smirked and said, "Well, during the alien invasion, my parents fell down an elevator shaft, experienced a cave in, thought they were going to die, and decided to do one last thing before they died, but they survived and managed to get out… then I happened."

Finally Kaito's lips quirked up slightly and let out a laugh before putting up his hands and admitting, "You win." "Told you so." I tease and nudged his shoulder as we both laughed.

I don't know why… but this felt really nice.

Just to have someone to relate to. It was like the whole Clan thing didn't matter right now. It just felt nice to have someone who understood me. It was quiet between us, but it wasn't awkward like before. It was a content, and almost comfortable quiet.

"So… are we, okay?" He asks holding out his hand and smiling at me slightly. I slowly smiled back and shook his hand as I said, "Yeah, we're cool."

Well, that's one dilemma sort of figured out.

**Well, looks like Molly and Kaito were able to get past the awkward situation and forge a new bond between them. Also, don't worry Leorai fans, there will be **_**major**_** Leorai interaction coming soon. Thank you so much for reading and please review if at all possible. I'd love to get your input.**


	16. Bonding

**Fair warning, this chapter is very short. But I hope you enjoy it otherwise.**

**(Kaito's POV)**

From the minute I woke up this morning and went through training, I just felt at ease… like I finally had my focus back again. It was like once I was finally able to talk to Molly last night everything just felt so much easier.

Sure, the situation is still not really the most _normal _or _ideal_ one ever but… I don't know, it felt kind of cool having a cousin, a friend.

Once training was over and I went up to my room to change into something to just chill out in, when I looked at my nightstand and saw _it_, the comic I got from Leonardo.

At first I thought it looked kind of stupid and I really wasn't interested in reading it, but I knew it would probably make me look like an all knowing jackass if I didn't attempt to like what my father gave me.

I could tell this was something important to my father and that it meant a lot to him for me to have it. I kept looking at the comic and laid down on my bed and started to read it.

Hey, I have all the time in the world right now and I'm still not sure if I'll like it... but I'll give it a shot.

**(Molly's POV)**

This is so insane… but I also can't stop myself from enjoying this.

I know how sad this sounds, but I've never really had too many friends in my life, or really any. Not that I couldn't have any, I just pretty much dislike almost everyone I know my age and I didn't really mind being alone.

But… now I kinda had a friend.

Look okay, Kaito's in the Foot Clan and Shredder's grandson, but he's also my uncle's son and Kaito was actually pretty cool and to be honest… I was happy to have a cousin, a person that understands me now.

Kaito and I were just kind of hanging out, which is weird to think about the fact that I'm now hanging out with my long lost, Foot Clan ninja cousin on purpose now while we were on patrol… but I don't really care.

Kaito and I actually still do have a lot in common. I don't know, it's just kind of cool to have that now.

Then once we stopped talking, Kaito reached behind him and I quirked an eyebrow at him as he pulled out these two glass bottles.

"Okay, time to educate you on something from where I'm from. Well… sort of, it's really popular in Tokyo. This is my favorite soda of all time. Legit Japanese Lemon-lime soda." Kaito explains with a grin and tosses me one of the glass bottles.

I looked at the bottle and everything on it was written in Japanese.

"Never heard of it. Where did you get this? Smuggle it past customs at the airport?" I taunt with a smirk. He gave a matching look as he put his hands up slightly and replied, "Good guess… but no. I actually found it in this specialty shop a couple blocks away. Trust me, you haven't lived unless you've tried it." He says and motions for me to crack open my bottle.

I managed to get it off and commented, "They seriously serve this stuff in glass bottles? What is this 1967?" "Hey don't diss it unless you try it." He says back with a smirk as he held his bottle out to me and waves it at me.

"Well, cheers, I guess?" I say with a smirk as I clink my bottle with his his and hesitantly took a sip. At first I didn't get what the big deal was and at first I thought I didn't like it, until I had the second sip.

"Good?" Kaito asks with a knowing grin. "Not too bad." I say and take another sip. "So, ninja, outdoors man, and soda connoisseur, huh? I never would have guessed." I say, slightly joking, and take another sip.

Kaito let out a laugh and smirked as he replied, "Well, I guess. Not really just soda, I have a thing for basically anything _not good_ for me. People have their _vices_… mine is junk food. Soda, candy… anything like that. My mother gets mad when she sees me eating candy, or the way I eat it, but I've kind off been getting control over eating it… and also _hiding it_." I quirked an eyebrow at him and he laughed a little at my confused expression.

"What do you mean _hiding it_?" I ask.

Kaito smirked and said, "At all times I keep a stash of my _fix_ under my bed in a shoe box at all times." I gave him a look as I replied, "You seriously keep a shoe box full of candy under your bed 24/7?" "Pretty much, yeah." He admits with a shrug. "Well… that's…" "Weird?" He finishes before continuing, "Oh come on, don't you have any weaknesses? There's gotta be something."

I thought for a second before smirking and responding, "Well, I don't stash away candy like some deranged squirrel…" Kaito shoved me on the arm for messing with him and we both laughed.

"Really? C'mon Molly, what's your _Achilles heel_?" He teases and smirks at me, also looking. "Nothing really, well I do have a personal journal that I write in… but anyone who reads it other than me, i.e. my brother, gets sent to their own personal Hell." I allude and take another sip of my soda before smirking in Kaito's direction.

"Does that apply to me also?" He asks, messing with me. "Well, if you are alive, are literate, and I see you reading my journal; then yes. You are in my range." I reply and then Kaito and I both laugh again as we went on talking.

This still felt weird, but still kind of cool. I actually felt like a teenager right now, not like everyone else… but in my own way, I finally felt like I belonged somewhere.

**({No POV})**

Kaito and Molly kept talking and laughing but they weren't going unnoticed as someone crossed their path and stopped dead in the their tracks as they observed the scene; Raphael.

His sai were in his hands as he watched on from several hundred yards away. Slowly, his hands clenched over the grip on the handle of his signature weapon in either hand.

His eyes narrowed even more as he took in the scene. His face was unreadable as his focus continued to zero in.

**Looks like Raphael took notice... What's going to happen next? This chapter was filler to build up to the next chapter and will more than double this one's content. Hope you liked the bonding between Kaito and Molly. Thanks for reading as always and reviews are always appreciated.**


	17. Tensions

**Well, here it is. The big reveal to Raphael. Read on to find out what happens.**

**(Leo's POV)**

It was just Molly and I right now.

Molly had dinner with me and changed at the lair for patrol, we thought that Raph should probably know about Kaito and we were about to go off to meet up with Kaito and then ask Raph to meet us somewhere and just explain everything.

I kind of felt bad about not telling Raph about this sooner, but he's still such a loose cannon sometimes and has been dead against anything that had to do with Karai from the start.

So do you blame me about not telling him that Karai and I have a son?

"Are you sure about this, uncle?" Molly asks. "Your dad has to know sooner or later." I say. I already told Molly earlier that her mother and grandfather also knew about Kaito too. So now it was contained still between the 4 of us.

"I don't know. This kind of information plus my dad will probably lead to an explosion." Molly says, thinking about what myself and Mona also thought about what Raph might do if and when he finds out about the fact that Karai and I had a child.

Also, I know Molly and Kaito have been pretty much hanging out together during patrols, but I found it as a good sign that at least they were on good terms with each other after the fact.

"It's a risk we have to take." I reply, seeing no other way around it. "Let's go. I told Kaito to meet me on our usual rooftop along 7 blocks from here." Molly explains and we both take off.

_Please let this not end badly._

**({No POV})**

The rooftop was empty until a familiar dark figure appeared, Kaito, his mask still in place. He walked around in slight stealth and glanced in several directions, almost as if he was looking for something.

"Molly? Are you…" Kaito was interrupted when he was all of a sudden violently snatched and then thrown roughly and with a force into the wall of the adjacent building.

But he was unable to move for two reasons. One was he was pinned by something, and two… because he was almost frozen in a state of shock at the hulking and menacing looking figure he was in the hands of, Raphael.

Raphael had hate written all over his face and one of his hands was clutching Kaito by the throat and the other holding a sai to Kaito's face.

Even though Kaito's face was still hidden behind the mask… Kaito looked scared and felt the sudden vice grip on his throat, making it already difficult to breathe.

Raphael tilted his head at Kaito and started, "Well, well… look at you. I bet you think that you can just do whatever you want, don't you, you little punk? Well, guess what _casanova_? I'm not about to let some little Foot creep make a move on my little girl. So, I'm going to give you one option that ensures I let you still breathe air. Say you'll stay away from my daughter and I won't castrate you right here and…"

"RAPH!" Raphael whipped his head up to see Leonardo and Molly descending to the rooftop.

**(Raph's POV)**

_Dammit. _

I tried to ignore him and deal with the _little ladies man_ who thinks he's so damn cool making a play for my daughter. The little creep was trying do something to fight me off but I was choking him out.

I'm not going to lie. I want to watch this little bastard suffer.

"Dad, what the hell are you doing?!" Molly yells at me and I immediately say, "Stay out of this Molly, while I teach this little player to mind his own damn…" "Raph, just put him down. It's not what you think." Leo says.

"Oh really, so you mean to tell me that…" "DAD! Stop talking and put him down!" Molly yells.

"Why should I?" I question. "Raph…" "What makes this little Foot jerk so freaking…" "RAPH!" Leo yelled at me, wanting me to shut it.

I gave him a weird look. "What the hell's gotten into you two? You're seriously defending the Foot?" I retort, not believing what I'm hearing.

"Raph, it's got nothing to do with that, now put Kaito down." Leo finally orders. I was about to say something when I realized what Leo just said. He actually knew this little creep?

"You know this kid?" I question, beyond confused. Leo let out a deep breath before looking at me.

He looked me dead in the eyes and said, "Raph… this is Kaito, my son."

**(Leo's POV)**

"I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU PEOPLE?! No one around here tells me jack SHIT!" On the last word Raph kicked a ventilator clean off the roof.

We told him everything and at first he didn't believe it… until Kaito took off his mask and Raph looked like he had a conniption when he saw the uncanny resemblance between us.

Then, as I expected, Raph exploded.

Me, Molly, and Kaito were just watching him destroy anything he could get his hands on as he shouted at us in his _realm of anger_.

"HA! You guys really got me this time! Fantastic! Brav-fucking-oh, Leo! You mean you and that evil, manipulative little witch had... _that_ and every one knew but me? Thanks a lot _bro_." Raph says, getting nose to nose with me.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw Kaito's hands shaking at his sides and his jaw tensing up, probably from Raph insulting Karai, his mother.

I shoved Raph away and told him, "That's not true, Raph. Mikey, Irma, April, Donnie, and even Hazel have no idea yet."

"Hey whoa, screw you man. You pretty much made everyone I trust lie to me. Tonight I realized that I've been played for a dumb sap by my sensei, my wife, my daughter… and even _you_, my own brother."

After that Raph stomped away and ran off somewhere, but not before he ripped a satellite off the roof and chucked it in some direction.

Molly, Kaito, and I all exchanged looks before looking back to the place where Raph was.

**(Mona's POV)**

I was in bed reading by myself, Raph was just in here to get his pillow to sleep on the couch. I slapped my book down on the bed lightly as I leaned my head back and let out an exhausted exhale.

He's been about as bent up as damn paper clip since he came home. Molly told me that he knew about everything now. He also knew that myself, and apparently Molly now, knew and kept this from him.

Look, I know I kept it from him, but only because I knew he would lash out like he did just now if I did.

Besides, what was I supposed to do? It wasn't my secret to tell and I wasn't about to betray Leo's trust either.

I'm kind of glad Jimmy was at Irma and Mikey's tonight for an overnight and Molly already went to bed, having enough ranting from her father for one night, and I was there with her.

I was just so frustrated, that damn man.

Look, I love my husband, more than anyone in the world, but he is just so ridiculous at times and he wonders why no one tells him anything. I kept contemplating as a thought got into my head.

"Ugh, this is ridiculous." I groan out in frustration as I throw the sheets off and walk out of the room to make a b-line to the living room.

**({No POV})**

Mona walked into the living room and saw Raphael laying on the couch with his arms crossed and eyes narrowed at the ceiling.

"Raph, enough of this. It's done. Come back to bed." She says, almost orders, and puts her hands on her hips. Raph grunted as he turned on his side so his back was to her.

Mona let out a sharp breath through her nose before saying, "You know what? Fine Raph. If you want to stay out here on the couch and pout like a 2 year old, go ahead. But keep this in mind, if you would have acted differently and actually handled this news without flipping out if Leo, Molly, Splinter, or I told you to start; then by all means stay on your _high horse_ out here… otherwise, I expect you to come back to bed with me. It's your choice, either act like an indignant ass or act like my husband."

After that Mona made her exit back to her and Raph's bedroom.

Raph was still laying on the couch and tried to force himself to fall asleep. He was like that for a minute until he turned around on his back and sat up. He looked he was going back and forth on an idea for several minutes, then he slapped a hand down on the cushion in frustration that he'd been beaten, knowing Mona was right.

With that he grabbed his pillow and begrudgingly went to their bedroom.

* * *

><p>Mona was about to fall asleep when she felt the weight on the bed shift and Mona smirked to herself at the fact that she won the battle.<p>

She knew this was typical Raphael, verbally lashing out one minute about something stupid and then finally cooling off the next after getting sense talked into him.

But, she knew she should talk. She was the same way in some situations, but she knew that was what made them work, to understand that same struggle and balance each other out.

Mona smiled as she shifted over on the bed and snuggled up to him as a way to further extend the olive branch and felt like she succeeded when his arms wrapped around her.

Even though they had their once in a blue moon _disagreements_, it was never anything that kept the two of them from loving each other and compromising.

That was the life of being married, and both of them knew that, but they wouldn't have it any other way.

**(Leo's POV)**

Kaito asked if I was still up to talk after Raph and Molly were gone.

It was quiet at first after both of us still recovering from Raphael's _explosion, _but it was still going over well. I really enjoy being able to spend time with Kaito one on one. I even gave him more comics since he asked me if I had any more of them. Which made me feel really good that I can now bond with my son over my favorite comic series.

"Is he always like that?" Kaito asks, running a hand through his hair, referring to Raphael. "No, not really. He hasn't really had an anger episode in a while. Trust me, he was worse when we were growing up. He's actually a good guy, I know. He's just never really liked your mother." I admit.

Kaito snorted out a laugh before responding, "Yeah, I noticed."

It was silent for several seconds.

"Um, can I ask you something?" Kaito finally asks. I smiled slightly and nodded before replying, "Of course." "I want to know more about you and my mother. You said that both of you had a... _thing_ before you were even human." He said and looked absolutely still confused.

But I couldn't deny him and explanation and besides, I'm just as confused still about his mother's actions as he is. "We did… well, we spared together and kissed, but that was about it. I know it is shocking and I still don't understand your mother either. As much as she involved herself with me, she never entirely _let me in_. Again, I still love your mother, Kaito, I mean that. But she just irritates me with her constant mind games. Every time I have tried to talk to her she continues to dodge me and still refuses to let me in." I explain.

After that Kaito thought with a pensive expression on his face and we tried talking for a couple more minutes about other things to steer away from the previous subject, Kaito looked at the time and got up telling me he should get going.

Kaito was looking at me and said, "Thank you for talking to me again." Kaito says and bows his head to me. I smiled as I put a hand on his shoulder. "It's no problem at all Kaito. Well.. good night." I say and bowed my head slightly before turning around to walk away.

"Good night… father." I almost did a double take, but by the time I looked in his direction again, he was gone. My entire way back to the lair I was smiling to myself.

It may be slow to start and as much as I wish everything were more ideal between us, but my son finally called me father.

_**The next day**_

**(Karai's POV)**

I put dinner down at the table and Kaito took his seat across from me and put his hands together as I did. "Itadakimasu." We both express as we bow our heads slightly before eating.

Even though I was the one who prepared the meals and it wasn't necessary to say it on my end. I just do it as means to show a good example to my son. No one can accuse me of raising savage and rude child.

I hold those honorable customs and manners close to me in everyday situations and it was something I wanted to instill into my son from the beginning. We were silent and Kaito was trying his hardest not to look at me.

I could tell he's slowly starting to resent me less, but I knew Kaito was still upset with me.

Finally I decided to break the silence in an attempt to get Kaito to speak to me. "I've noticed you've been reading again." I comment, noticing that Kaito has been reading comic books in his spare time lately.

"Yes, I have." He answers simply.

It was quite for several seconds before he said, "Leonardo gave them to me." I felt like a vice was clenching my stomach once he mentioned Leo. I know Kaito and Leo have been meeting regularly, but it was still unbelievable to me that they were doing this.

"Oh." I comment, trying to remain in my normal state.

It was silent again until Kaito looked up at me slightly and said, "Yes, he gave me some of his old comics that he told me were his favorites at my age."

I nodded and looked down at my food again and tried to go on eating as I responded short, "That's nice." "It is... I like him. He's a very good man." Kaito responds almost instantly as he continued to eat and look at his food.

I remained silent as I tried to stomp down the truth of the words that Kaito just said. At that moment Kaito slapped his chopsticks down on the table and I looked up at him only to see that recently familiar sharp, hostile stare he seems to regard me with as of late.

He immediately got up and was about to walk out of the dining room when he looked me right in the eye and bowed and said entirely sharply and full of malice, "Gochisōsama-deshita." It was what I always made him say out of courtesy before he left the table.

Then Kaito stormed out and I followed him. I was angry now. I know he was still angry at me for lying, but he wasn't making it any better by talking back to me.

I'm his mother.

"What is it now?" I spit out; getting irritated with his angsty, typical teenage behavior that wasn't apart of Kaito's persona until just recently with me when he found out about my lie.

Kaito stopped abruptly and looked back at me.

"Oh, let's see here… Oh yeah! How about you explain to me why I was robbed of having a father when I was growing up?" He directs looking up at me slightly. His eyes were burning at me with intensity.

"Kaito, you don't understa…" "Then WHAT?! What don't I understand?! You involved yourself with my father all that time ago, even though you knew the consequences if grandfather caught you… yet you still did it."

"Now Kaito…" I start but Kaito interjected, "I'm not done. Then when you found out you were pregnant with me, you ran from father with no explanation. Depriving him of being with me when I was little and depriving me of knowing my father."

I glanced away and put up a hard front to cover up what I was really feeling deep down. It was quiet between us. Yet the air felt thick with intensity and anger radiating between us.

"Father loves you, you know. Even after everything he still loves you. I know you won't say it, but I know that you still have similar feelings toward him. Why can't you just admit it, for all of our sakes?" He directs bluntly to me.

I looked at him, dead serious, and replied, "Because it is not your place to question what has happened between myself and your father. You think you understand everything when you have no idea of anything."

He gave me a hard look as he replied, "I think you at least owe something to him. You always taught me to have honor and own up to my responsibilities, so why not you?"

I remained silent but still had an angry and flustered expression on my face to show him that I wanted this conversation to be over.

"Fine… Since you still think I'm such a child, I'll go to my room." With that he briskly walked to his room and slammed the door shut behind him. I cringed at the sound of the door and was frozen in my place for several moments as I processed the encounter.

I felt bad now for snapping at my son, but he really didn't understand, not entirely.

I just don't know what to do about anything.

**Lots of hurt and anger from both sides. Please tell me what you thought as I would greatly value all of your inputs. Thank you so much for reading and have a lovely day.**


	18. Reveal part 1

**(Leo's POV)**

I was looking at my jacket hanging over the chair along with my motorcycle helmet, still trying to decide if I was seriously going to do this.

It's been 3 days since Raph found out, luckily now things were cool again.

I went and saw Mona the day after I told him and she told me to not even worry about it and that she, _straightened it out_ with Raph. Which knowing Mona… that could literally be anything and I'm not sure I want to know exactly what _it_ was.

But she was right, in fact that night Raph came along with me on my route just to make sure we were cool.

Which we were, but then again he also almost choked my son to death last night, but how was he supposed to know. As far as Raph was concerned, he just thought that Kaito was some random foot soldier trying to get at his daughter.

But even with boys in general, Raph would kill any one of them that even looks at Molly. Mona always jokes that if Molly ever gets asked on a date that her date will probably be killed once he got to their front door.

Raph has always been that way with Molly, and as much as I want to say I think it's ridiculous, I don't have a daughter to know that same feeling and… I don't know, I'd like to think that I'd be protective over my daughter if I had one in a way, but I also would like to think I wouldn't be as extreme as my brother.

I know he loves Molly, but Donnie has 3 daughters and he doesn't flip out like Raph does. And that brings up what I'm going to do.

I'm going to tell Donnie and Mikey about everything.

I feel like I have to. Besides, half of the people I know are aware of Kaito's existence and besides, I think it's only fair that I tell Donnie, April, Irma, and Mikey about Kaito. I'm stopping off at Mikey and Irma's first since I know for a fact that both of them are home. It's going to be hard, but it has to be done.

I grabbed my jacket and helmet as I made my way to my bike.

**(Irma's POV)**

"Alright, c'mon Benji. You got this one. Just toss it over." Mikey says smiling and waving his hands slightly to himself.

This was Mikey's off week from working 6 nights each week for two weeks. But he does really like work and I was proud that he got that promotion to sous chef.

Well, now that Mikey had free time he's been teaching Benji how to play football and baseball for the past couple months. I was just glad we lived in a house just outside the city with a backyard for the boys to play in. But it was still close enough to the schools. Tony and Jimmy were even in the same class together.

I always wanted to live in a house and I don't think life in an apartment would have been a good fit for us anyway… especially with the boys and all of them being more like their father… I don't think I need to say anymore.

I'm not saying anything negative about it; not at all. In fact I really like that they are a lot like Mikey. It makes life more interesting.

Ever since I met Mikey, my life has just been way more _fulfilling_ and I never fully realized it until I got to college. I started to live in a dorm my freshman year and actually lived in a hall full of single room units and it was all girls that were also going into accounting.

Okay, in high school, I was definitely not the definition of popular or cool or anything like that. I was the quiet, nerdy _bookworm_ that everyone thought was weird and I never really complained about it. That's just who I was and still am.

But like I said, I never complained and I had April so I had a friend.

Anyway, that was what I thought until I got to college. My first day there, I was getting to know the other girls on my floor and it was so weird initially. Look we were all accounting majors and accounting by definition is a pretty well, _nerdy_ profession.

So by default living on my floor was like living with a bunch of people exactly like me. Well, not _exactly_ like me as I soon realized.

One time before classes started we kind of just opened up all our rooms and kind of just hung out together the whole weekend. Some girls came in my room and as we were talking some of them noticed what I had on my night stand.

There were 2 framed pictures: one of me with my parents and brother and the other was a picture I took with Mikey at senior Prom.

They were in complete disbelief that I had a boyfriend... and a hot boyfriend at that. Other girls may not see Mikey like that because of his slightly _unique_ personality but I did have a good looking boyfriend.

All of the girls on my floor almost didn't believe me and thought it was almost impossible, which I found strange after a while. I thought it was so weird with how they were acting about it.

But then Mikey came to visit me a couple weeks later, it wasn't a far ride by bus and Mikey tried to see me once a month, they all couldn't believe it and especially when they noticed Mikey walking out of my room the next morning with me… they were immediately all on me as soon as he left with questions.

But it wasn't weird, I actually liked it. I may not have been cool by any extent with the people at my high school. But amongst my peer group at college… I was cool. College was seriously one of my favorite sections of my life so far.

That was until I was about to graduate and Mikey and I were in my dorm room and… okay, I loved it when Mikey visited me, even though our usual _intimate activities_ on the nights he was there distracted me from my usual study time… it was _so_ worth it.

Anyway, we were cuddling afterward and we were just kind of talking a little bit and then out of nowhere, Mikey told me his _secret_. About 3 years before that night, Mikey told me that Donnie helped him study for an exam to get a high school diploma and he actually passed after the first try.

Even though I was in disbelief, I was really, really proud of him. Mikey's not the most _academically inclined_ guy; school was just harder for him, but Donnie told me he actually worked really hard to focus and study for it. But my sophomore year of college Mikey, with the help of my dad apparently, got enrolled at a culinary school to take courses during the day so he could still patrol at night with his brothers.

I still remembered when Mikey told me he got his certification so he could get a job. I was so proud and I always knew he'd excel in that.

But that surprisingly was not the actual surprise. He told me that he asked my parents if it was okay first before he finally gave me the shock of my life.

He asked me if I'd marry him.

I was in shock for a split second before I almost immediately said yes. I really didn't need to think about it. I was absolutely sure about it. I knew we were both young, but the invasion kind of changed everything for basically everyone in our immediate circle.

We realized how short life is and that if you over think things sometimes that you may never get the chance to do it. That was what I realized the moment I hesitated with Mikey on Prom night and I was about to die before he saved me and I kept my promise; I never hesitated about anything with him ever again.

I could tell Mikey was still nervous when he asked me and I was surprised, but I was also really excited about it.

Also, Donnie and April also got married a little before we did and Mona and Raph got married when they were 18. So it wasn't like we were alone.

I also thought it was brave that Mikey even asked my parents before he asked me. My parents have always liked Mikey, but I know that it's a big thing for a guy to do that and for Mikey this was a big thing and a very mature thing for him to want marriage, and to want that with me.

We were young though. He was 20 and I was turning 21 the next week. But I felt like I was ready for it. Besides, it wasn't like it was irresponsible or rushed or anything like that when it really came down to it.

At that point we'd been dating for 5 years and we loved each other, and that was part of the reason I was okay if we didn't even have a wedding. Also since we'd been together 5 years, I kind of did just want to be married to him and call it a day. But my parents would not take no for an answer and insisted on giving me a wedding.

I was frustrated at first, but I knew they wanted to give me what they didn't have when they got married, or mostly what my dad didn't have.

My parents met in college. My dad was going into accounting and he met my mom who was a pharmacy major. They started dating and like most people they eventually got to the point where they met each others parents.

My mom's parents loved my dad right away, but my Langinstein grandparents… they didn't approve. But it was something that had really nothing to do with who my mom was.

It was because my mom wasn't Jewish. My dad is Jewish and he came from a pretty well off family and was raised with a very strict religious upbringing and with his parents beliefs shoved down his throat and he was able to tolerate what they were doing, until they had that initial reaction over my mother.

Then they especially almost cut my dad off entirely when he told them he and my mom were getting married.

It was really upsetting to them that my dad was marrying outside the faith, but my dad really didn't care about all that. My dad, or my mother either for that matter, really didn't care for organized religious customs, they do believe in god but they just don't believe in the show of it all by going to ceremonies and services and all that. They just believe that no one should be bound to customs unless they wanted too and made that person happy. My parents just promoted tolerance.

I mean, we celebrate Christmas but that's about as far as we go. My dad always liked the idea and giving concept of the holiday and my mom was raised celebrating it.

But that is how my brother and I are too. We do believe in a higher power that people just don't understand. I think there is a higher power that looks after everyone and doesn't discriminate based on who you are or how you look or what you believe in.

But my grandma and grandpa Langinstein didn't see it that way.

They tried to be nicer to my mom once my brother and I were in the picture but even that didn't help. I was never really able to be entirely close to them for that reason. How can I like anyone, even if they are my grandparents, if they don't accept my own mother just because she came from a different background than them?

Also, even though I was against it, Mikey wanted to come over to meet my grandparents. I was scared when he said that and it was proved true the moment Mikey walked in the door of my grandparents house on Thanksgiving.

They were in shock and my grandfather was especially displeased.

That was when I later saw my dad take my grandfather in the kitchen and basically telling him off to stop being such an intolerant asshole toward Mikey just because he wasn't his idea of an _acceptable__ boyfriend_ for me.

Okay, if I brought over some rude _bad boy type_ guy with no respect for elders and covered in vulgar looking tattoos, I'd understand more with them being upset with that… but Mikey is _so_ not that.

He was trying so hard to be as nice and polite as possible to them and even made sure to get his hair cut and look dressed up when he came over. There was just no pleasing them.

My brother was even only on their good side because he became a lawyer like our grandfather was, but he became a lawyer because he wanted to and not to please anyone.

My dad even apologized to Mikey afterward big time for his parents' behavior.

My dad has always really liked Mikey and he even told me that himself. Mikey and my dad have always gotten along well. My brother was never much of a sports guy and Mikey filled that void for my dad by watching sports games on TV with him and my dad always talked about how much of a real and good guy he was.

Which is true. Mikey has _never_ tried to be someone else to please others. He's always a guy that is true to his sweet, energetic, and eccentric natured self and that is something I have always found endearing, even to this day.

He even wanted to make sure my grandpa and grandma Langinstein were at our wedding and that was when I knew how good of guy Mikey really was. He always tried to see the best in everyone.

But that was why I was sure my parents were accepting toward Mikey and the fact that we wanted to get married. They wanted to accept whatever my brother or I wanted to do to make us happy, something they never got from my dad's side.

But I think my dad was hoping for me to marry Mikey from the start.

Like I said, my dad always treated Mikey like a second son pretty much and knew he was a genuinely good guy who cared about me a lot.

Sure Mikey showing up to save us in his ninja attire and using martial arts skills and nun chucks to take down the aliens was a definite shock, but they knew I was safe with Mikey and they knew that Mikey did that to protect me.

Now here I am, I have a great job working with my dad as an accountant, I'm married to a great guy, and I have 3, while really energetic and tough to keep up with at times, really sweet boys.

"C'mon buddy, you got it. Hit me with your best..." I immediately stood up when Mikey crumpled to his knees holding his crotch after Benji threw the football, pretty hard if I do say so, at him. Mikey was trying so hard to hold it in.

"Good one, son." He strains out, trying to smile and give Benji a thumbs up.

Tony and Tommy even stopped playing soccer at the other end of the yard and looked at Mikey slightly pained. Tony pushed his glasses back up on his nose and yelled, "You okay, dad?" Mikey tried to slowly look in their direction and smile as he strained out again, "Oh yeah, I'm completely, ah… cool."

He groaned again as he was still trying to collect himself from the pain.

_Wow, Benji must have really gotten him good._

I quickly walked over to benji and smiled as I put my hand on his shoulder.

"Did I hurt dad?" Benji asks looking guilty. I knew he didn't mean to do it, but I also thought it would be better not make him feel guilty about it.

"Dad is totally fine, he… he just needs to rest. How about you go play soccer with your brothers, okay hone?" I suggest and push him gently in Tony and Tommy's direction as I went over to Mikey.

"How bad is it?" I ask referring to the pain as I gently helped him to his feet.

"Well...I feel like I'm gonna hurl and I saw my life flash before my eyes when I got hit… otherwise, I'm all cool." We both laughed a little as I helped him inside and helped him sit down on a chair in the dining room. I got him an ice pack from the freezer to help.

"Well, Benji's getting really good at least, right? I think he might be able to play baseball this summer like he wants." I say, trying to lighten the mood.

"Hey as far as I know. That kid's got a crazy good arm. Forget little league, either the Giants found their new starting QB or the Yankees have a new closer." Mikey replies and we both laugh a little.

Okay, my sons are klutzes like myself and their father, but at least they are their father's kind of klutz where they can play sports and stuff, something I was always afraid to do and still am.

Sure things like this happen, but that just comes with it. Mikey and I are still klutzes and the chances of our children being _unlucky_ like us are pretty high, let's face it. But, they were ours and Mikey is especially such a good father with them.

Sometimes when we went to the park with the boys, all I see the other parents doing is just sitting there and not doing anything to play with their kids. I mean, I'm an accident prone klutz but I at least try to play with the kids without hurting myself and Mikey is especially always involved with them. He's always just being a very involved father with our kids and doing whatever they wanted to play.

I glanced back and smiled at Mikey and saw him smile back at me.

I really do have a good guy.

_**1 hour later**_

**(Leo's POV)**

I had to take a detour due to construction so it took more than twice as long to get to Irma and Mikey's.

I parked my bike on the street and took off my helmet. I looked at the house as I glanced around. It was quiet… too quiet. I tried to go into stealth as I made my way to the front door.

I kept glancing around and… nothing.

"GRENADE!"

Then I felt it impact my head and water covering me, water balloon. "Got you Uncle Leo!" I looked to my left to see Tony and Tommy smiling and laughing before high fiving each other.

That was what I meant by I was waiting for it. Everytime I come over, my nephews always try to do something to prank or ambush me. Last time I was attacked by the three of them with dart guns.

But it's all in good fun and kind of see it as my welcoming committee when I come over.

"Nice one guys!" I say with a laugh. "Where's your mom and dad?" I ask. "Inside!" Tommy yells back at me.

I walked up to the door and heard behind me, most likely from Tony, "C'mon, we got one more. Time to get Benji." I smirked to myself, it reminded me of what me and my brothers did when we were kids. Except Mikey was the one hitting us with water balloons and he was the youngest.

I took deep breath as I looked at the door.

_Okay Leo, you're here and they should know. It would be unfair not to tell them. They deserve to be told._

With that I finally decided to knock on the door. _Here goes nothing._

The door opened and I was face to face with my youngest brother. "Leo, what's happenin' bro?" Mikey says and grabs my hand before pulling me in for a bro hug. I decided not to dance around this topic and just get right to it.

"I need to talk." I say and step inside. "About what?" Mikey asks.

I was about to speak when... "Leo, hi." I heard and didn't have time to react as Irma hugged me. But I smiled and gave in as I hugged her back. Actually I was glad she was here too.

This was something I had to tell both of them about. "Leo, dude, are you alight?" Mikey asks as we walk into their living room and sit down, seeing me lost in my head.

"Look guys, something's come up and I really think you guys should know." I finally say. This was it.

Let's just hope this goes well, unlike the last time.

**I got some input from some people wanting to know about what happened to Mikey and Donnie. So, I hope you liked Irma's back story and how their household **_**operates**_**. haha. Next chapter will be Donnie and April and then the real story can finally be put into place. Anyway, thank you as always for reading and don't be shy to leave a review.**


	19. Reveal part 2

**How will April and Donnie react? Read on to find out.**

**(Leo's POV)**

After driving about an hour out of the city and then another hour through nothing but corn… I finally got to April and Donnie's house.

This weekend was final thing to finish off my current _to do list_. I was going to tell Donnie and April about everything, i.e. Kaito.

I pulled my bike into their driveway and took off my helmet as I dismounted my bike. It really was entirely too quiet, well probably because I was in a town that was in upstate New York, amongst farm fields and makes you feel like you're in the middle of Nowhere.

I was looking at Donnie and April's house in front of me, which looked _out of place_ for it's surroundings.

Okay, I'm not going to _sugar coat it_, Donnie and April have an _extremely_ set situation. Donnie's income as an engineer alone makes them pretty well off and then add April's salary working as a reporter for channel 6 on top of it… As much as they don't want to admit it… they're definitely well off to put it lightly.

They're house is proof of it alone.

Donnie designed it. It's 2 stories, but it is pretty _upscale_ to me and especially looks that way compared to the other houses in their town. I walked up to the door and rang the doorbell. As I waited I just kept listening to the dried corn stalks rustling in the wind from next door.

The door opened, April. She smiled at me and immediately hugged me, well as much as she could because she was also holding Edith. We went through the usual hellos before she let me inside.

"She's getting big now." I say, smiling at Edith who was smiling back at me in the way a two month old would. "You're telling me. The doctor said she's 13 pounds currently from her last check up a week ago, yet she feels about as heavy as a dying sun." April jokes and we both let out a laugh.

Then I heard rapid noises of what sounded like running down the stairs. Then Marie flew in behind me, her two braids practically flying behind her as she flew in and was trying to put her shoes on as fast as possible.

Marie immediately looked up at us and explained rushed, "Caleb called and said the is cow calving. Can I go mom, please?" She was looking at April, practically almost begging on her knees. April smiled and said, "Yes, but be back home in time for dinner, okay?" Marie was smiling ear to ear as she quickly hugged April and said a quick thank you.

Then almost immediately also hugged me and said, "See you later Uncle Leo." After that she shot out the door before I could even react. I looked back at April confused.

"What was that all about?" I ask as April and I walk down the hall to the kitchen. April set down Edith and looked at me with a smirk and said, "Marie's been helping out a lot at the farm next door. She's always loved animals and she's been feeding the cows through our fence with grass since she could walk. Then Mark, our neighbor who owns the farm, finally noticed and asked her if she'd want to help with the animals and she loves it."

"I can tell. She must like it if she practically dove out the door." I say with a slight laugh but then April smirked back at me and added, "Well, to be fair, I think she also has a little crush on Mark's son Caleb who's about her age and from what I've seen even from when they were little, the feeling's mutual. Donnie denies it but I can _definitely_ see it, besides I think it's cute and Caleb is actually a really sweet boy. But also my heart goes out to him. His mother died several years ago and he's an only child, so I can definitely relate to him and I try to invite them over for dinner sometimes… Well, anyway from what Mark tells us, Marie has a touch with the animals."

It was quiet until I heard, "AHHH! DARWIN'S... BEARD!" I glanced to the ceiling and I just saw April cringe but then smirk a little but also looking guilty.

There was only one possible source for that, Donnie.

"What's going on?" I ask, kind of weirded out and concerned. She just got up and grabbed Edith again as she nodded for me to follow her upstairs. "April? Is something going on?" I ask. She glanced back at me with a smirk and explained, "Donnie has kidney stones." I gave her a weird look at her smirking about this. "Um, what's so funny about Donnie having kidney stones?" I say confused.

We stopped and April's expression changed as she said, "No, no… it's not funny. I feel really horrible that he's in pain… but his exclamatory statements as he's going through the pain are just too funny. Earlier he was going through the Noble Gases on the periodic table to relax himself." She looked like she felt horrible about admitting that to me, but I knew what she meant as we both exchanged grins before we heard Donnie yell out in pain again.

We both made our way up stairs and then walked to the bathroom in the hall, the door was closed.

April walked up to the door and knocked on it lightly before saying, "Donnie, Leo's here." Then she nodded for me to speak. "Hey Donnie... how are you doing?" I ask hesitantly, not knowing what to say.

Then from behind the door I heard, "I am passing hardened calcium stones through my urinary tracts from my kidneys… How do you think I'm doing?!" Donnie yells agitated, but I knew he was probably in a lot of pain.

April leaned over to me and said quietly, "He sounds like me when I had Marie and Roz." April and I both looked like we were about to laugh. "Huh?" I heard Donnie say to which April replied, "Nothing honey, do you need something?" "No, it's nearly there. I'm fine. AHH!" Donnie grinds out.

After that April and I went down stairs and continued talking as we waited for Donnie _get through it_.

"So, any particular reason for you coming ov…" Then there was a loud bang as the floor shook a little.

I shot up and got in an attack stance, thinking something was going on. "Oh no, Leo. It's okay. That's just Rosalind." She says, brushing it off like it was nothing.

April walked over to the door that lead to their basement, opened the door, and yelled, "Roz, honey is everything okay?" I walked over and looked through the doorway with April. Then Roz ran into view at the bottom of the stairs.

She was covered in black ash and she lifted the goggles away from her eyes as she said, "Sorry mom, just an unexpected chemical reaction. I'm fine." She had a huge grin on her face.

"Okay, just try not to do anything too combustible like this without dad around, okay?" April reasons. "Yes mom, hi uncle Leo." She says with a friendly smile and waves at me before disappearing again, I smiled a little.

After that April shut the door and looked at me. "Donnie gave Rosalind her own lab set up for her seventh birthday last week." April explains. April and I looked at each other and we knew we were thinking the same thing.

It's like I said before, Rosalind is definitely Donnie's daughter. She looked like him, she acted like him, and… she's also a genius like him. Plain and simple, Rosalind may just be 7 years old, but she's beyond intelligent for her age.

I just remembered when they found out how smart she really was. I was even visiting when it happened. She was barely over a year old and she solved a rubix cube in under a minute.

At that moment, April and Donnie exchanged shocked expressions before I saw Donnie's face practically light up.

April and I sat down and she sighed and smiled before saying, "Now you wonder why I like keeping her hair cut shorter." We both let out a laugh, knowing what she meant after we just witnessed Roz almost look like she caught herself on fire.

"Like father like daughter." I comment with a slight smirk. "If only that were a joke. She's so much like Donnie in every way possible. I mean, it's not that I don't like it. I'm really glad she is the way she is. Also, I'm really proud to have two smart children thus far, but it's kind of sad to think your seven year old daughter is technically smarter than you, even if I have a college degree." She says with a laugh.

I knew exactly what April was getting at it.

Both Marie and Rosalind are smart, it was just that Rosalind is unusually intelligent.

But, it's not like she is _too smart to function _or anything like that. Aside from everything, Rosalind acts her age and is a really sweet girl like her sister and she enjoys playing like a regular kid.

But Donnie was the same way and looking at Rosalind now reminds me exactly of how Donnie was at her age, you know aside from the difference in species when Donnie was her age.

Rosalind is just insanely smart. She even goes to this private academy near them on a scholarship because of her advanced abilities in math and science. I just remembered how proud Donnie was of her when she got asked to go and practically unintentionally bragged about it to all of us. It was kind of funny watching Raph get annoyed by Donnie never shutting up about it.

Look, Donnie loves all his daughters, but you can just tell that he bonds more with Rosalind on a level because she literally is just like him and Donnie is supportive of everything she wanted to do that he was never able to do when we were kids for _obvious reasons._

He wanted to help Rosalind do what he wasn't able to, like going to school and a really exclusive private school at that.

Eventually Donnie came down stairs and walked into the kitchen. All three of us started talking and then April said, "Okay, I'll put Edith down for her nap and then we go to the living room." April started to walk away before Donnie stops her. "No, I can do it." Donnie says with a grin as he holds out to his arms.

April returned the gesture as she handed Edith over to him. "There we go, darling. Let's get you to bed." Donnie says bringing her closer to him and kissing her on the forehead and then smiling at her.

Donnie walked down the hallway with Edith and April and I walked behind him to walk to the living room across from Edith's room. It was quiet until I heard something in the background that immediately brought up a memory from when Molly was about a month old down in the lair.

The memory started playing in my head as the soft classical music played in the background, almost fueling the memory.

_**14 years ago**_

**{(No POV})**

Leonardo and Raphael were about to walk into the dojo to train together and Mona was out picking some things up after her class at the store. Donnie and April offered to watch Molly while Raph trained with Leo.

Just as Raph and Leo were about to spare, there was music playing, classical music. Confused, Leo and Raph left the dojo and looked out to see April studying, Donnie and Molly were no longer in the main room.

Raph looked around intensely before looking at April. "Where's Molly?" Raph practically demands, almost being short with her. April looked at him confused before saying, "Donnie has her. He's putting her down for a nap."

Leo looked over to Raph and saw Raph's face become focused, intense, and almost hostile as his hands clench into fists before he took off toward their rooms. Leo and April exchanged confused looks before following Raph.

Raph eventually found the source of the music coming from Molly's room, his old room. Molly was in the crib and Donnie looked like he was setting up the stereo. Raph's eyebrows knit together as he grabbed the stereo's power cord and pulled it out of the wall.

"What the hell do you think your doing?!" Raph directs, angrily. Donnie gave Raph a confused look before he grabbed Donnie by the collar of his shirt and threw him out of Molly's room.

"What was that for?!" Donnie complains and gets off the ground. "I don't know, how about telling me what your problem is for playing that _crap_ around my kid?" Raph directs, getting in Donnie's face.

"Raph, it's a neurological theory I was putting in place. Many child psychologists endorse playing classical music during sleep to stimulate infant brain activity and help to further increase the IQ level of the baby for development as a result." Donnie explains, trying to be rational.

"Oh yeah, well I have my own theory… It's called 'she's my kid, so butt out!'" Raph says, getting in Donnie's face again and shoving him.

"I was just trying to help!" Donnie replies, defensively. "Well, I don't want you to help that way!" Raph shouts back.

April tried to get between them and said, "Guys, just…" "Raph, don't you want to give your daughter a head start in life?" Donnie argues.

Then it looked like something else hit Raph as he said, "Oh, I see what your doing here." "What are you talking about?" Donnie replies confused.

"Oh c'mon, you're doing this because of Mona being her mother and because I'm Molly's father, you want to _limit the damage_ so she doesn't end up like me. You think I'm stupid, don't you?!" Raph directs, fuming. "I never said that!" Donnie yells back.

Raph and Donnie kept arguing and April was still trying to break them up.

There was some hostility between Raph and Donnie for several weeks after that.

_**Present**_

**(Leo's POV)**

I tried to shake off the memory as Donnie shut the door, masking the music as he sat next to April on the couch and I sat in the armchair across from them. I was trying to come up with a way to start that wouldn't make me seem insane.

"Are you okay, Leo?" I looked up and saw April and Donnie giving me weird and slightly concerned looks. I let out a deep breathe.

_Well Leo, time to just go for it._

* * *

><p>It was dead silent and April and Donnie were in a state of complete disbelief. Donnie let out a deep breathe as he ran a hand through his hair and said, "Well… I… I just… wow." I looked April.<p>

For some reason I also kind of felt weary as my mind brought up every other time I told her about something that involved Karai:

-Met Karai = April slapped me with a rolled up magazine

-Kissed Karai = April gave me an open palm slap to the face

It was a pattern and right now I was afraid of it coming again like deja vu. Finally after a period of silence, April let out a deep breath and held up her pointer finger in front of her, almost as if she was motioning for me to wait a second.

"Leo…. why is it that whenever you tell me something that it always involves some convoluted thing with _her_?" She points out.

Well, I have to admit, she had a really good point.

_**5 days later**_

I was meditating in the dojo as I was processing everything that has happened recently.

I found out I had a son and that Karai was back, I've been talking and building a bond with my son, and now… everyone in my family; well Molly, my brothers, Splinter, Hazel, Mona, Irma, and April at least are the only ones who know.

But now my head was fuming with one huge problem… Karai.

The past four nights on patrol I found Karai and tried to talk to her, but continues to shut me out and avoid me. I just have no idea what I'm supposed to do with her.

Is asking her to talk to me too much to ask?

I was trying to come up with something. Karai is just so stubborn and hates it when things don't go her way, i.e. things going my way instead.

I kept racking my brain for a way. I just kept thinking and thinking and… wait? It's crazy and kind of unconventional… but I'm willing to try anything again twice. Well, what do I have to lose and who knows, this could work in my favor.

Let's just hope it does, because I am desperate to try anything.

**What's Leo going to do? Wait until next time to find out! I also hope you enjoyed the flashback and the look at April and Donnie's personal life together as adults. Thank so much for reading and please leave a review. It is always appreciated.**


	20. Provisos

**Hello readers! I just wanted to take another opportunity to express my thanks to all of you and your amazing support to the "Flirting with the Enemy" trilogy. Ever since the beginning you all have just been fantastic and to still see the same people and more reading my work… my hat seriously goes off to all of you. I'm also glad you enjoyed the last chapter, I especially got a lot of great feedback on the flash back I put in with Raphael and Donatello. In my mind, I just always envision that if Donnie were ever in a situation with raising children that he would turn it into some **_**scientific process**_ **approach like he does with everything else, which apparently Raph wasn't too happy about Donnie using his **_**research**_ **around Molly, lol. Well, without further or do… Enjoy!**

**(Karai's POV)**

I got to the end of my scouting perimeter and just stood in the middle of the rooftop.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to calm my nerves. I was trying to focus on my surroundings without seeing. Just trying to pick up on all the subtleties in the area. The faint footsteps of someone walking on the sidewalk below, a dog barking inside the building beneath me, a car driving by.

I was trying to collect myself. I'm just at all odds right now.

Leo's been trying to talk to me and keeps pestering me to talk to him, Kaito's still accusing me of being unfair, and my father being oblivious as he is, is still not aware of anything that is going on.

Look if my father can't still even pick up on the obvious, carbon copy resemblance between Kaito and Leonardo, one of his mortal enemies, then he's obviously going to be oblivious to everything else. All he does his brood about trying to find and hunt down Hamato Yoshi… still.

There is absolutely nothing simple about my life and nor has it ever been, but what did I expect. I've seen mutants, aliens, and involved myself with Hamato Yoshi's second in command all those years ago and now I'm a mother as a result to my son who currently almost despises me.

Yet… he knows nothing. He doesn't understand and neither does Leo. I just wish they would stop… I heard light footfall behind me as I quickly unsheathed my juji-ken and faced the likely source, Leo.

_UGH, will just stop pestering me already?! What more does he want?!_

I told him about our son, I allow him to freely talk to Kaito whenever he wants after patrols.. WHAT?!

"Leave me alone, Leo. I don't want to talk." I say adamant, wanting to be left to myself. I was about to leave when he said something that stopped me dead in my tracks, "I didn't come here to talk." Whipped my head back in total confusion.

_He doesn't want to talk? Are you kidding me?! He's been pestering me for weeks to talk to him and now he doesn't want to? _

I turned around and put my weapon to the side as I quirked an eyebrow in confusion at him. "Then what?" I inquire, flustered and annoyed. "I have a... _proposition_. All I'm asking is that you hear it." He explains, his eyes reflecting their usual sincerity.

I was trying to think over what he said before I finally gave him a nod to continue.

"Okay Karai, you don't want to talk to me but I do and I don't understand why you won't, but I want to make a deal." Leo says and then he withdrew his katana and continued, "We spar to decide."

My mind immediately pulled up the significance as I remembered him saying those exact words to me a long time ago, the time he beat me and forced me into going on a date with him.

I was in no mood for this.

"Leo, you are impossible if you think I'm going to…" "Karai, just hear me on this. You don't even know the terms if you win." He says. I tilted my head at him and crossed my arms as I scoffed and replied, "Oh, what's the big _incentive_ for me to want to agree to this _trivial game_?" "I'll leave you alone." He responded and I looked at him in disbelief.

Did he seriously just promise to… "Karai, if you win, I mean it. If you really want me to stop trying to talk to you, I'll do it if you win." He says, entirely sincere, but I also saw something behind it.

"Then what's your cut of the deal? The usual?" I inquire, thinking he wanted a date out of it like last time. He actually cracked a slight smile at me as he said, "You'll see, if I win." I didn't even care about the loophole. I immediately got into a stance and held my juji-ken in both my hands.

I actually smirked back at him and replied, "Not like you to be mysterious...Very well then."

I learned from last time. I just have to be more careful. Fighting Leo is _never_ a cakewalk. We were both each other's match in combat. Leo was the only ninja that has always stood out in my mind as a challenge for me.

As much as Leo pesters me, I always have had a respect for him, I still do, and I knew he still had that respect for me when it comes to combat as well.

We set our feet and situated our weapons as we stared each other down. At this moment, even in this intense state of focus, there was so much _nostalgia _in this right now, complete deja vu. It brought me back to all those times Leo and I sparred in the past. Though I would never admit it to him ever out loud, it was something that I missed.

Just having that equal opponent to fight with and make each other better for it.

We started to slowly circle each other. My expression looked serious, but I felt eager for this to begin. It was almost a rush in me. I felt like I was 16 again.

We both simultaneously lunged forward and clashed, hearing that satisfying sound of metal on metal; sending a rush through my veins. We both sent our usual moves at each other and I tried to throw in my diversions that Leo all too easily dodged as I did to his, we both learned.

But I felt myself getting flustered as he kept countering all my moves. Then I finally saw it, my opening. I was about to deliver a spinning back kick to his head when my eyes widened in shock as he caught me by the ankle mid-kick. He brought me down, pinned me to the rooftop.

At first it didn't hit me, but then the realization crashed down on me, _shit_. I lost… _again_.

Leo helped me up before I slapped his hands away and looked at him. He was smiling at me ear to ear as I scowled at the fact I was beaten and now was sworn to do whatever he wanted from me.

I scoffed and crossed my arms as I demanded, "Fine, what do you want?"

He grinned as he approached me a little more, relishing in his victory just like last time. "Friday night at 8, meet me out front of the tenement. Dress nice, but comfortable." He informs.

I quirked an eyebrow at him in confusion as I retorted, "Why? For what?" "It's a surprise, just do what I said." He says. I was about to turn and leave when I heard, "See you Friday." I looked back only to see him vanish over the side of the building. Well, I've said it before and I'll say it again.

_Damn… Just damn him._

But as upset and flustered as I am, I'm not going to be dishonorable and back out.

I have to hold up my end of the deal, whether I want to or not.

_**Later that Night**_

**({No POV})**

The atmosphere was dark except for the moonlight streaming in through the overhead windows in Shredder's headquarters.

Shredder was in his chair observing the doors intently as they slowly opened and Karai and Kaito slipped inside and approached shredder before simultaneously taking a knee and bowing their heads to show respect. It was quiet as the Shredder continued to observe them.

"Nothing to report, grandfather." Kaito informs.

The Shredder stands slowly and narrowed his eyes at them before responding, "I am getting impatient. I didn't bring the both of you here to not contribute and test my patience." "Calm down father, I have new information on that score." Karai interjects.

The Shredder directed his attention to Karai. "Mind informing me?" He says intrigued, but also somehow coarse. "I received some intel lately from the Purple Dragons on a possible place Hamato Yoshi could be. I plan on staking out the area tomorrow night and then report back Saturday." Karai explains.

Kaito glanced over to Karai with a confused and perplexed look in his eyes, but managed to keep his facial expression even as he looked back to the floor.

The Shredder regarded what Karai said with interest for several moments before replying, "Very well then."

After that Karai and Kaito were dismissed, but Kaito still gave his mother puzzled looks as they walked out of the building.

_**Friday Night**_

**(Karai's POV)**

Kaito was summoned earlier today by my father so he could cover part of my perimeter in my absence tonight and so I had the quarters to myself as I got ready for whatever Leo had in store for me.

I must be completely out of my damn mind.

I actually agreed to do this kind of thing with Leo again after all these years of avoiding it all and made up a lie for my father so I could do it. Now I am running full force into the face off with the biggest crux that has ever influenced my life.

After all this time, I still don't entirely know what exactly I felt toward Leo.I immediately shut that off in my mind, not wanting to revisit it all.

I exited out the door and made my way to the tenement, still not believing that I'm seriously doing this.

* * *

><p>I was waiting out front of the tenement and took the opportunity to look back at it.<p>

The building that contained the memories of the most insane section of my life... at least so far in my life, everything that involved Leo. Also the fact that Kaito was actually conceived in this building is also a definite re-shock to the brain.

I waited until I saw Leo rounding the corner at exactly 8.

_Of course, Leo's still Mr. Perfect and punctual. _

He approached me and at first he didn't say anything as he smiled at me and then revealed something from behind his back, something that caused a whole new flood of memories. It was a single red rose.

_Ugh, why? WHY?! Why does he still do this? What kind of guy actually does this?! _

Ugh, as much as it annoys me and makes me almost have an internal conniption, this was true to himself.

Even after 15 years and both of us not seeing each other for that long and maturing as time went by, Leo, in the real ways, never changed. As much as Leo's pious and mildly self righteous persona still makes me want to rip out my hair and scream... Leo is and always has been a strong, honest, sweet, kind, and compassionate person.

I may have changed slightly from when I was a teenager but I still retained my defining traits as time went by. Leo; however, was still the same.

As much as I didn't want to give in, I accepted the rose.

**(Leo's POV)**

Even though she still looked so entirely guarded, she actually accepted the flower I brought her. It may not entirely be what I wanted as a response from her, but it was a step up from where we stood before yesterday.

We eventually started walking.

"So what exactly are we doing?" Karai asks as she continued to look ahead.

"I thought we could have dinner. There's this nice cafe a couple blocks over. It's nice, quiet…" I allude and then she immediately said, "To _talk_, I assume." "You had to have seen this coming." I say out loud, but it was true. After her avoiding me and refusing to speak to me… she had to have known something like this was going to happen.

It was quiet all the way up to walking into the cafe, sitting at the table, and placing our orders. She kept looking everywhere but at me. I'd have enough of her barricading me out.

I leaned forward slightly as I finally said, "Karai, I am going to get an explanation from you. I know there is more to your story that you haven't told me and just know that I have all the time in the world and I won't stop until I finally know your story. You can avoid me and even run to hide back in Japan again, but just know that I will continue to keep asking you until I get the answers you aren't telling me."

It was silent again for several minutes as I continue to give her an expectant look.

Once our food was brought to us, she looked around and then finally sighed and said, "Leo, you must know and understand that I saw telling you about Kaito to be an impossibility, especially back then. I felt like I was lucky that my father didn't even kill me to begin with for getting pregnant and I just wanted to limit the _echo_ of the whole thing. Then by the time it happened... I was just done."

"Done with what?" I ask confused. She let out a slightly frustrated sigh as she elaborated, "Everything, I was and am still so done with my father's _stupid_ grudge. It's because of him and his stupid and ill-honored vendetta against your sensei that brought me back here and dragged Kaito into this ass backwards feud too. I resent it. I was glad to be away from it and lead a slightly more normal life back in Japan, instead of running around like a chicken with its head cut off for my father here."

I was slightly surprised by her words as I responded, "Then why do you do it?" "Because I have to. Leo, he may be stubborn, mildly-senile, and short sighted… but he's my father and as much as I wish I could have refused, I couldn't and I still can't say no to my father. It would have raised so many suspicions too, especially with Kaito if I did refuse. I'm just playing along right now, as much as I hate it, I must do it." She explains.

I gave her a beyond shocked and slightly incredulous look before she added, "I know, but it's true. I'm just trying to do the honorable thing and stay on good terms with my father and not completely fall out. I have literally and honestly nothing against your sensei, in fact I know he is not the one at fault for any of this and that it was my father's doing for all this insanity taking place. I've had enough, I'll freely admit it."

It was silent for almost a full minute before she said, "I know." "Know what?" I reply.

"67th street, White Eagle apartments on the west end." My eyes went wide at what she just said and my face reflected shock.

After I let out a deep breath and ran my hand through my hair, I was finally able to articulate a word, "How?" "Please, I found out the first week I was back here where he was. I know he's human and that he's living on the surface with this woman that I've seen several times, I assume she's his wife or something like it?" She replies and I was still in disbelief that she found Splinter so easily.

I was still in slight shock.

"You knew this whole time? Does anyone else know… Kaito? Anyone?" I say, now completely losing interest in my food. "No and nor do I plan to tell anyone." She responded. It brought up a point in my head all of a sudden. I had to ask, "But why? I thought you were sick of this?"

I did think it was strange. I know this is Splinter, but I mean really. Karai really did look desperate to end the feud at whatever cost and the fact that she knows where Splinter is and never nor wants to tell anyone is confusing me to the nth degree right now.

"Because it's not right Leo. I'm not going to give your sensei away to my father in his ridiculous grudge just to get an out. There is no honor in attacking a person without fault or reason and that has done nothing wrong… at least now I know that from what I figured out was the truth. It isn't worth it. Besides, if Splinter was gone, then he would have just found a quarrel with someone else and I'd be pulled into that for as long as my father's still alive. I'm just done and I don't care anymore." Karai admits, truly looking drained and fed up with her father's vendetta.

After processing everything, I felt myself slowly smile to myself at my realization. It was what I always knew deep down about her. Everyone always thought she was some cold, heartless person that would do anything to get what she wanted… but they were wrong.

I knew she was good deep down, I always did and this was proof that she was.

Finally, I was able to say in absolute honesty, "Thank you." She still gave me a guarded look as she nodded in response. But I was still completely overwhelmed at the fact she did this and by the fact that I was right about her all along. I felt a sudden compulsion in me.

I was able to pay and then once we got outside, I turned to her and said, "Come with me. I want to show you something."

Okay, if my brothers, sensei, or anyone knew what I was about to do… they'd probably kill me or think I'm completely out of my mind.

But I trusted her and I wanted to show her how much I trust her.

* * *

><p>It took a while for Karai to agree to come down into the sewers, but I finally did. I was actually doing this. I was actually bringing Karai to the lair. I did it for several different reasons, but the main one was to show that I trusted her and did not see her on the opposing side whatsoever, it was just us right now.<p>

I brought her through the tunnel and her expression looked intrigued, almost amazed if I dare say it.

"Welcome to the lair." I say with a slight smile. She kept looking around and I asked, "What do you think?" She was looking at the ceiling as she replied, "It's actually… really not that bad. I've always wondered about where you guys lived, it's nicer than I expected." She admitted.

I smiled as I replied, "Well, my brothers are all gone. It's just me down here now." She gave me a slightly intrigued expression before looking around again and replying, almost teasing in a way, "You never wanted to live above ground?"

After a moment of silence I was able to respond, "No, I never had a reason to leave. Besides, I'm comfortable down here. But it does feel strange to be on my own now down here with no one else still."

I glanced down slowly to her hand hanging at her side. I walked up to her and slowly grabbed her hand, weaving my fingers between hers. However, unlike the last time I did this when I was 15, she didn't reject the advance; in fact, I slowly felt her hand relax as she hesitantly and slowly returned the gesture.

I glanced at her only to see her looking right back at me. Our eyes locking, the air in the room felt thick and heavy as my eyes never left her.

I couldn't stop myself as I started mindlessly and slowly facing her more and leaned in, but then I really felt the absolute fulfillment when I saw her also leaning closer toward me too.

* * *

><p>It was frantic, this was the first time in 15 years that we've actually been like this around each other. I was trying to lead us to my room, Splinter's old room that he gave to me when he moved out, off the dojo.<p>

I was trying to refamiliarize myself with everything as we kissed. My hands were holding her close to me and wandering over her back, trying to rememorize her after all these years. Her right arm was hooked around my neck as her left hand was gripped into my hair as our lips showed that old found ferocity to find each other and take in as much of each other as possible.

I still couldn't deny to myself the absolute rightness from being with her like this. There was no doubt that the attraction and chemistry had never faded between us over those 15 years, but instead built up and is now finally being released like water out of a flood gate.

When I was younger my ultimate goal was to get Karai to be my girlfriend… but that seems completely juvenile to me now and isn't what I want anymore. I want us to be way more than that now and I'm hoping that by doing this I could finally convince her and I know exactly what I want now.

It's actually pretty simple. I want us to be friends, companions, lovers… I want her to be my wife.

I slide the entry way open to my room and was able to slip it shut behind us as we both started to frantically shed whatever clothes we could off each other until everything was removed.

Then once I had that moment of holding her against me, feeling her against me, there was no turning back. I wanted her, I needed her, I had to be with her and I could tell the feeling was mutual with her when it came to me.

We got on my bed and our lips were still moving in frantic sequence against each others and I was trying to reach for my nightstand. Even in the moment, my mind was able to remember something.

Ever since Karai came back and I found out that she left because she was pregnant, I got protection just in case. I even carry a couple in one of my utility belt pouches just in case something like this happened and I wanted to make sure that there would be no _unexpected outcome_ this time to make her run away again.

It seems really weird that I did that, but I learned from last time and I wasn't taking the same chance again.

I don't want more children right now… well at least not until I'm finally able to convince her to marry me, then that could be brought up later. I want to be her husband, I want to be a father to our son, I want to finally have the family situation that I've always wanted, only with her.

I just want there to be less complication with us and for it to just be _us _right now.

I was finally able to grab one out of the box and slip it on as quickly as possible as we tried to maneuver under the sheets. Both of her hands were gripped into my hair, trying to keep me as close to her as possible in a frenzy of passion that has long since been dormant.

I groaned when I brushed against her and I could tell she was getting impatient with me. She wanted me too like I wanted her.

This was actually happening with us again. But, I really don't care anymore. I don't care about what anyone thinks or anything. Not my brothers, not my sisters-in-law, not sensei, and not even the Shredder.

I love her and I need her and I want us to be together.

That's all… that's it… that's all of it.

**Leorai's back!...so far. See, I always try to keep my promises and I hope you enjoyed the Leorai installment and believe me when I say that it is still far from over. Thank you all so much for reading and please don't be shy about leaving a review. I'd love to hear from all of you. Until next time!**

**-Dexter1995**


	21. Distinction

**Wow, you guys are so amazing. I loved hearing how many of you are liking the story. The fact that you guys call my work the the best TMNT fanfiction is seriously unbelievable to me. Writing for me is mainly a hobby, but you guys are seriously so incredibly nice to say that. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart. Well, without further or do… here's the morning after.**

**(Karai's POV)**

My eyes opened slowly and the room was dark. Well, darker than… wait.

My eyes shot open as I sat up and glanced around the room. I looked around and on the wall I saw the two sheathed katana on a rack on the wall. The night came flooding back to me.

Everything came back to me and by the slight residual stiffness, I knew what happened. I lifted the sheet and looked down and my eyes shot open even more. I was about to spring up and try to find my clothes when I looked and saw my clothes from last night folded at the foot of the bed.

I looked to the other side of the bed and saw he wasn't there and there was no trace of him in the room. I didn't move from my place as I was trying to sort through everything.

Even though he wasn't in here, I didn't need him to be here to know that I was damn well aware of what went on last night.

I had sex with Leo.

I remembered everything. I bit my lip as my stomach was twisting up at all the conflictions assaulting me. Okay physically, I'm not going to deny that I don't regret it all. UGH, how can I regret it?! Every time this has happened between us ever, I could not deny the absolute physical satisfaction from it.

Everything he did to me made me surrender to him and that feeling was so mutual between us. Even now I still couldn't deny it after it not happening for so long.

If anything last night stood out in my mind over every other time from the past. That last time Leo and I had sex 15 years ago and that was literally the last time I had sex period before last night, after I found out I was pregnant I had even less interest in sex.

Then also after being with Leo... I just lost all interest period.

Even though Leo was the only guy that I actually… _went that far with_. I never really considered myself a naive or innocent person to begin with whatsoever, but I was never totally oblivious and I knew exactly what I was doing with Leo that first time we ever had sex.

Leo was the only guy I ever had that insatiable compulsion with and Leo was the only guy I saw worth my time to do that with and I wanted him so desperately that it made me almost feel disgusted with myself.

Sure Leo back then was especially pretty much the epitome of innocent in personal situations, he wasn't and was never stupid or naive, but when I did things to expose myself to him, he always looked entirely embarrassed by it, like he thought it was wrong to look at me that way.

But that was nothing compared to that first night, I was so beyond shocked and flustered with how everything resulted between us and how he almost seemed like he was putting me before himself in that situation. I'll admit I actually felt completely valued and respected by him.

All those times in the tenement were good, but last night was… I don't know, something came over me last night. It was this undeniable compulsion I had within me, even after so long… I wanted him, _desperately_.

I always had a deep physical attraction to Leo since he became human, but it was like now I found him even more desirable. He wasn't that 16 almost 17 year old guy from my past anymore. Now he's this strong, sexy, and powerful man.

Once I made eye contact with him last night, I couldn't fight back anymore. I wanted him and nothing last night was going to stop me.

Ugh, but then there's everything else other than the physical aspect that made me cringe.

Even though Leo only recently admitted it, I was never oblivious to how Leo really felt about me. I figured it out right away after that first time we were together how he felt about me. I knew he loved me, but I just always brushed it off and tried to ignore it.

But it was true, Leo did and still does love me and that's what I don't know what to do about.

My thoughts were interrupted when I heard knocking and shot my head up only to see a silhouette I knew all too well on the other side of the canvas divider. I didn't have time to answer as the divider slid open and Leo stepped in, smiling at me as he said, "Good morning."

He was dressed but dressed extremely casual in a t-shirt and sweatpants.

I remained silent as he walked over to me and sat on my side of the bed with that usual sweet smile that he's always had. "Did you sleep well?" He asks and I felt all the blood rush to my face when I felt his hand grab mine.

I wasn't able to speak, but I was able to nod before glancing my eyes away slightly. I didn't know what to do.

I've never been good in situations like this and obviously nor have I ever been in a _morning after situation_ before. Even though Leo and I have seen each other at our most vulnerable many times before, I've just never been comfortable with intimate contact like this.

Sex is something I am comfortable with and have never felt awkward toward that concept… but when it came to situations like this, I was at a loss.

I mean, I guess I… ugh, I don't know.

He was still smiling at me as he grabbed my folded clothes from the foot of the bed, that he had to have folded and put there after them originally being tossed to the floor last night, as he handed them to me. I slowly reached out and took them.

I felt his thumb brush over the skin on the back of my hand, raising my heart rate on contact.

"I was about to make some breakfast for us, just take your time." He says and I thought he was going to leave when I felt his other hand rest gently on the side of my face. His small smile was still present as he leaned in and kissed me lightly but with a purpose on the lips.

He lingered away slowly, my eyes coming in contact with his as he smiled at me again and said, "Come out whenever you're ready." He walked away and smiled over his shoulder at me one more time before walking out the room and sliding the divider shut behind him.

I just didn't know what to do. I felt so uncomfortable and yet weirdly comfortable at the same time.

I wasn't used to this whatsoever, but at the same time… it won't kill me to sit and eat with him. Leo is a nice guy and I've played so many mind games with him in the past… I don't want to do that to him anymore.

Kaito was right, I'll admit it. Leo's an honorable and nice man and although I have no idea what I really think of all this… I did at least owe it to Leo for being nice and doing this for me.

Even if Leo or my son don't understand or know everything… well, like I said it won't kill me to indulge Leo's little request.

**(Leo's POV)**

I was just finishing up making breakfast, or at least what I'm able to make on my own, for us.

Last night was incredible.

I almost didn't believe it actually happened until I woke up this morning and I saw her next to me in my bed.

Even after all those times we were intimate in the past… it seemed like nothing compared to what was between us last night. You'd think it would have been better back when we were teenagers because it was the only rebellious thing I've ever sort of done and kind of like an escape for us, but that wasn't it.

When we made love last night, I felt almost free, like I wasn't bound by anything anymore. Karai and I are both adults and we really don't require approval from anyone. It's like what sensei told me. What goes on between Karai and I now is entirely our concern and no one elses.

I just still can't get last night out of my mind.

Even after those 15 years we were apart, I thought she was even more beautiful last night than I've ever seen her. She wasn't that 17 year old girl from my memory anymore. She was this strong and beautiful woman now, not to mention she's also the mother of our son.

I heard almost silent footfall and I glanced behind me slightly as she walked into the kitchen. I thought I saw a ghost of a smirk on her face and I grinned back and said, "Please, sit."

I looked back at the stove and then turned off the burner as I took the skillet with me and put some of the eggs on a plate and gave it to her. I also had some toast that I made earlier too on a separate plate.

"Your pretty domesticated for a guy that lives in solitude in the sewers." She says in that teasing tone that I remembered from a long time ago. I put the skillet back on the stove and took my plate of eggs back to the table.

I let out a laugh and grinned as I replied, "Trust me, I'm not a good cook. I can scramble eggs and make ramin and toast but it's a miracle I can even do that." "Then how did you guys survive down here. There's no way you guys just ordered pizza all the time." She teases.

"Well, Mikey did most of the cooking down here. He's the only good cook out of the four of us. If you don't believe me, one time me, Raph, and Donnie tried making breakfast without him and we set off all the fire alarms." I say and I was able to get her to let out a slight laugh.

We were silent as we kept eating, but I couldn't deny how right this felt. If we were married, it could be like this everyday with us.

"So, what do you think of my situation down here?" I inquire, trying to get the conversation going in the direction that I wanted. Karai shrugged slightly. "Well, aside from the sewer aspect… it's actually pretty nice down here." She admits, before reaching for her glass of water.

"So… would it be okay with you if I invited Kaito down here sometime?" I ask. She took a sip of water and replied, "I see no reason why he can't."

I smiled slightly and then I glanced down at her hand and grabbed it gently as I ask, "What about you? Would you like to come down here with me again?" She didn't say anything as she bit her lip and tried not to look at me.

She slipped her hand away from mine and said, "I should probably get back to Kaito." Then she tried to leave but I blocked her path out of the kitchen. "Karai, just tell me. Don't you want to come down here again with me?" I ask, not getting why she's trying to dodge the topic.

"I don't know." She answers and tries to get around me. I continue to block her. "What do you mean, you don't know?" I repeat, feeling that frustration coming back.

"It's complicated, Leo." She says, getting irritated with me and tried to get past me again. "Complicated? What's complicated? Did we or did we not just sleep together last night?" I retort, getting testy with her.

I just don't understand. She's the one making it complicated. She earned my trust to bring her down here, we made love last night, and she just talked and ate breakfast with me just now... to me that seems like she'd want to finally take up with me and want something serious with me.

"Don't bully me, Leo." She said through her teeth, frustrated, and looking me right in the eyes before finally shoving me out of her way. But I grabbed her arm and gave her a hard look.

"Karai, what?! WHAT?! I love you and I know you love me too deep down. I trust you and I want you to trust me. What's wrong? Is it me or you or something?! What is so hard about letting me in?!" I grind out in almost angry frustration. Then out of nowhere she delivered a kick to my head and I released her on reflex and fell to the floor.

She gave me a hard look before finally shouting, "BECAUSE WHEN YOU LET SOMEONE IN ALL THEY DO IS LEAVE!"

I was paralyzed and in a case of extreme confusion as I just watched her run out of the lair. I had no idea what to do or think about anything that just happened.

After laying on the ground and staring at the tunnel for almost 5 whole minutes, I finally was able to say something to myself, "What was that?"

**So… looks like Karai has something she isn't telling anyone. What is it? You'll see soon enough. Thanks for reading and please review.**

**Stay classy everyone!**

**-Dexter1995**


	22. Suspicions

**Happy Friday everyone! Hope you enjoy the latest chapter. This chapter begins the same night when Leo and Karai went out together in chapter 20. :)**

**(Mona's POV)**

This was what I looked forward to every month, coffee with April and Irma.

April has to come into the city once a month on a Friday to check in with her boss at channel 6 and Irma and I always try to meet up with her for coffee or drinks or something after work. It's something all three of us look forward to every month.

Just to take a couple hours to get away from our families and to just hang out with just the three of like the old days. No kids, no husbands, no work… just hanging out.

It was only April and I this time though, it was Irma and Mikey's anniversary today and we totally understood.

Although, April and I still have to admit that even though Irma and Mikey have been together almost 17 years like Raph and I… we just still find them to be such a _mismatched pair_. I mean, they completely work and are really happy together, but… okay look, I spent almost 6 years living underground with Raph and his brothers and that meant living with Mikey.

I love Mikey, he's always been like a brother to me, but he does have some _screws loose_ to use my husband's words.

Here let me put it into more perspective, Mikey, a guy that I have seen eat pizza with his feet before, is now a chef, married, and has fathered 3 children. Even though it's entirely true, I just still can't get that weird, eccentric, yet lovable little brother image of him out of my brain.

But who am I to criticize. I'm glad Irma and Mikey are happy together, I always have been.

Also in a way, as maybe kind of selfish as it sounds, I like it when it is just April and I sometimes.

It's not that I like April better, not at all. Irma is, has been, and always will be one of my best friends. It's just that with April I have more space _to let go_. When it is just April and I, it's like two sisters playfully teasing each other about stuff.

It's just how we've always been and we've always been really close. April really is like the sister I always wanted but never had.

Even back when we were teenagers and Donnie and Raph weren't around, we'd always _share confidences_ about each other's _personal _situations.

My favorite time was when I totally busted her for what her and Donnie did in his lab when she said she 'needed help with homework'. It was before the invasion or Pre-Molly to give a time frame.

Well, April wasn't lying all the time. Most of the time it probably was what she said, but when I saw her and Donnie reopen his lab door one time and walk out together and I saw April trying to _subtly _fix her hair and Donnie readjust his pants a little bit… I had a flood of devious thoughts flowing through my head that my inner-monologue was trying to keep contained.

I was the only one to notice it, even with Leo, Raph, and Mikey there watching TV with me.

That was when later I went to sleep over at her apartment and I so busted her big time about what her and Donnie really _did_ together in his lab. But she took it and then teased me back when it came to Raph and I.

It was just our way. Even now we still do that. We tease each other about our husbands.

Look, April loves Donnie and I love Raph more than anything, but they just do stupid things sometimes that just get to us.

Well, Raph actually doesn't do things that annoy me ever. It's just that he gets ridiculous when it comes to Molly and boys.

April even knows and always teases me that when some poor guy finally asks her out that Raph will be that dad who goes with them on their date and sits in the row right behind them at the movies to _supervise_.

Then Donnie's just… well, _Donnie_. Donnie is and has always been the quirky and high strung scientist that we know. Even with Donnie being a genius, both he and Raph just do stupid things sometimes, but we love them. Or as April puts it, '_They may be idiots sometimes, but they're our idiots.'_

But, April and I were having fun like usual; however, unlike usual we actually had something interesting to discuss.

Leo's secret was out now.

April was still in the same neighborhood as me when it came to confliction about the topic.

It's no secret. April and I never liked Karai _ever _and hated her for what she did to Leo, but that was until we finally learned why she left. Karai and Leo actually had a son together this whole time and none of knew until Leo found out and told us.

This was crazy.

But as confused as April and I are about this whole insane situation, we also couldn't not be fascinated by it. I mean seriously Leo's son is also the biological son of Karai and biological grandson of the Shredder?!

I mean come on, you can't write this stuff.

Also, from what Leo, Molly, and Raph have told me, he is an extremely skilled ninja for his age and looks almost exactly like Leo. I know it sounds kind of crazy but… I really kind of hope I get to see him in the future. Just to finally meet the illusive son of my favorite brother-in-law.

Like I said, it's crazy, but just too tempting to not want to see this boy in person.

_**Saturday morning**_

**({No POV})**

Kaito was in his bed and his door was open but he didn't want to get up to close it.

This was the first time he was able to sleep in, in a long time. He was usually a morning person, but having to run a double route last night for his mother had him completely exhausted.

But he also could help but still notice the red flag from two days ago.

His mother said she was going to scout an area based on information that she received from a gang called the Purple Dragons. It seemed believable, but there was only one problem with that story, the Purple Dragons disbanded.

He remembered her mentioning that to him a couple months back.

The Shredder may not have known for whatever reason, but Kaito did.

As confused as he was, he couldn't help but wonder what… his thoughts were interrupted when he heard what sounded like the front door opening, which was just to the right in the hall from his bedroom door.

He heard the wood floor creaking ever so slightly and tried to play it off that he was still sleeping as he saw someone pass in front of his door in civilian attire, his mother.

He fully closed his eyes when Karai glanced into his room to see if he was sleeping before she walked away, trying to go undetected.

Once she was away, Kaito sat up and looked at his door in confusion before smiling slightly in a knowing fashion. Even though most kids and teenagers don't want to think about that kind of thing with their parents, he couldn't stop himself from smiling about being right if what he was thinking was what really went on last night.

Either way, he knew it was rouse all along.

The question is though, what exactly happened last night?

**Looks like Kaito has suspicions of what Karai did the other night. Sorry for the short, filler chapter. I promise to deliver big time next time with a chapter you will not want to miss. Please tell me your thoughts on the chapter, it would be greatly appreciated for me to hear your inputs and opinions. **


	23. Revelation

**The long awaited chapter that you don't want to miss. I hope your questions will be answered now once you have read it. Enjoy!**

**(Karai's POV)**

I was sipping tea in the kitchen trying to recover from my _encounter_ with Leo.

He just doesn't understand and I wish he would stop bullying me for an explanation.

I continued to sip my tea when I heard, "Good morning mother." I looked and saw Kaito in the threshold still in his shorts and undershirt that he usually wears to bed. "Good morning, did you sleep well?" I respond.

He sat with me at the table and poured himself a cup as he responded, "Well enough, how did your recon go last night, if I can call it that?" He says, but there was something almost _cheeky_ in his tone.

"I don't know what you mean." I say, looking at him confused. "Oh really, then tell me. If the imaginary _still active_ 'Purple Dragons' didn't provide you with the intel, then who did? Werewolves, Fairies?… or was it a rouse to do something else? Something involving father?" He directs.

"Now you listen." "No, you listen." He snaps back at me. "Admit it. You made up that lie to grandfather so you could meet with father last night, didn't you?" He directs.

"Now Kaito, it's not your place to…" "Then what is mother?! Why is this so difficult for you to just admit that…" "I do not need to explain anything I do to you! Your father and I just can't be like that and I do not need to explain that to you!" I yell, hitting my limit.

**(Kaito's POV)**

After that mother stomped out of our quarters and I was frustrated, borderline infuriated. As much as I didn't want to resort to this, I got up and went down the hall into mother's room and started to scan under her bed until I found what I was looking for.

I slid it out and finally did what my curiosity has been begging me to do for years as I took the lid off the box and looked at what was inside.

**(Leo's POV)**

I was with Kaito on the Biarly building and he immediately had a question that took me aback.

He noticed Karai coming back to their quarters the next morning. I tried to leave out detail of his mother and I's night together, but I told him of the peculiar encounter the next morning.

"She said what?" He questioned, confused. "She said what I just did. I just don't know Kaito. You know I love your mother. I do. But she just makes it so difficult. I just know there is still something she's still not telling me and I want to know what it is… but… how?" I say, almost at my whits end.

"Father, this may seem underhanded, but I think I have a way." Kaito finally says after a while. "Why? What do you mean?" I ask, confused as to what he means by _underhanded_.

"After mother and I argued this morning, I did something. I… Well, remember that one time I told you that I caught mother that one time looking through that box that she said had to do with you?" Kaito starts.

I gave him an intrigued look as I listened to what he had to say.

* * *

><p>I was waiting for Karai in the tenement, knowing she'd show up at some point and I was able to catch her, my eyes burning with determination as I put her in a hold on the ground.<p>

"Dammit Leo, this is getting really old." She complains. "Look who's talking? I've been at this for only a couple months. You have mentally toyed with me for 17 years over something that we both know is true." I say back.

I made her look up at me and she gave me a hard glare.

"Stop bullying me Leo. It's too complicated." She says and I press back, "Then tell me? Why won't you tell me?" "I just can't!" She yells and knocks me off her. She stomped off to the corner of the room and I stood and looked at her determined.

"Karai, tell me. Because I know." I hint. "Know what?" She scoffs. "The mask, the necklace… the flowers, all of it. You keep them all in a box under your bed." I say.

I know I'm practically blackmailing the woman I love, but she drove me to this.

She looked at me in absolute shock. "Kaito told me and before you get upset, with either of us, you know it's the truth. You did it and I know that you kept them for a reason, so… I am now demanding that you finally tell me and stop playing mind games with me. Because I am done with it Karai, so tell me the truth, why… won't… you… let… me… in?" I grind out, I was at my limit.

Karai was silent as I continued to stare her down.

I was about to walk away since she still wasn't cooperating when I heard, "About 40 years ago… my father was angry. When he learned that he was actually taken in by the clan that defeated and wiped out his own, he wanted revenge. He wanted vengeance for the Foot Clan's fall during their war with the Hamatos… and that he could not do it alone. He needed an army."

I was beyond curious as to what this had to do with anything as she continued, "My father went to the continent and more so around Japan in search of soldiers, assassins, ninjas… he took only the best and no one less than exceptional. My father was gaining momentum and his growing power absorbed everything in him and thought he and his forces were unstoppable… until one night. My father stepped outside his tent one night after sensing a disturbance outside. Immediately upon walking out, he found 10 of his soldiers laying unconscious and or badly maimed on the ground. Father was furious and immediately went looking for who was responsible for this. He followed the path of destruction until it lead to their mobile armory. At the entry was something that puzzled my father, a flower, a _calling card_ from someone he only heard of. Then his suspicions were confirmed when he caught someone in the tent taking assorted weapons, a kunoichi. My father put a stop to what she was trying to do and they fought until it ended in a stalemate. It was at that point she revealed her true identity to my father for providing her with a challenge as a worthy adversary. She introduced herself to my father and he was correct in his suspicions as to who she was from when he found the unmistakable flower at the entry. She was a notorious kunoichi and the best in what she did that went under one simple alias, Lotus Blossom."

My eyes went wide. I had heard of that name before. Splinter told me about her at one time.

Lotus Blossom was, as Karai said, one of the most infamous kunoichi's in Japanese history. At the age of 10 she sought out the best ninjutsu masters in Japan only to defeat each and every one of them on her own with nothing but ease. Most of them being men way more than twice her age and size. She operated alone, but her aftermaths were nothing but devastating. She was quick, concise, lethal, and extremely intelligent in combat tactics. Her expertise was being able to conduct robberies with ease and, as Karai mentioned, left behind two things at her target sites, destruction and her _calling card_, a lotus blossom.

At this moment, I had a realization of where this could be going. But I nodded for her to continue, wanting to know more.

"Well, once my father found out who she was and her _track record_ as a warrior, he offered her the highest position in his newly formed Foot Clan as his second in command and after seeing how formidable my father was to her as an opponent, as an equal, she accepted the position on the spot." Karai stopped and looked to me, almost expecting me to know what she was getting to.

I needed no more hints.

A deadly kunoichi with a vast knowledge of ninjutsu and being the second in command to the Shredder… As shocked as I was, I knew. "Your mother?" I inquire and Karai looked away from me and gave me a sharp nod in confirmation.

It was no longer a secret. I now knew for a definite fact that Karai's mother was the elusive and deadly Lotus Blossom.

"The years that followed, they planned, strategized, and trained their newly acquired forces together. They were a rising power house and from what I heard about a decade ago from one of my father's old associates, which didn't entirely surprise me... well, my parents had a habit of mixing _business and pleasure_ so to speak." Karai explained and as slightly shocking as it was to think of for me. Like Karai said, it also wasn't surprising.

It clear from her explanation that Lotus Blossom and the Shredder were co-operators in combat as well as _lovers_, to put lightly. Though the thought of the Shredder having a relationship like that with a woman seems impossible to me, but since Karai was an eventual result of it, it was 100% true.

I didn't have time to respond as Karai started again, "Eventually the Foot Clan took up their old grounds that had been vacant a little over two decades. But as time wore on, my… mother, didn't just see my father as just a _casual lover_. My mother, in her own way, saw my father as something more. My mother had a deep respect for my father. He was her equal, mentally and phyically, something that she saw belonged to her and that seemed to be put in jeopardy that she couldn't leave to rest once she learned of my father's newest _fascination_. She was a woman who was known to be walking out with a ninja from the Hamato Clan. A woman by the name of Tang Shen."

I was completely in disbelief as the revelation soaring through my mind. Tang Shen, Splinter's first wife.

Karai kept elaborating, "My mother was overtaken with jealousy at this woman's ability that seemed to be taking my father away from her. She'd had enough and was willing to do whatever it took to keep my father as hers. One night she went out and was going to end it. She was going to kill Tang Shen in her blind jealousy of her charm and beauty stealing my father away from her. But once she saw her with Hamato Yoshi and my father also there trying to get her attention, she froze at her realization. Tang Shen was not paying attention to my father and was trying to play the role of almost peacekeeper when she saw her basically trying to politely tell my father to leave her alone. It was at that moment my mother realized, Tang Shen had zero interest in my father. She was doing nothing to flirt with him, nothing to lead him on, absolutely nothing. As frustrated as my mother was, she couldn't do it. There was nothing to gain other than starting a war for a petty reason and that was below my mother's standards. She just left it alone and then was pleasantly surprised when my father proposed they marry and my mother took it immediately. Even though she knew it was probably a vengeful response to the union of Hamato Yoshi and Tang Shen, she was just pleased that my father finally decided be with her. My mother got her wish, for the time that followed, my mother had my father _wrapped around her finger_, or so she thought." Karai went silent and I slowly walked up to her then looked her over.

Her jaw was tense and then I reached out and gently grabbed her hand, "What happened?" I urged softly. I've never seen her like this. Even after all the times we were intimate and seen each other at our most vulnerable, Karai at this moment looked genuinely vulnerable.

Karai maintained her cover and took a deep breath as she said, "During that time, my mother found out she was pregnant and had me soon after, but I wasn't the only one. A week after I was born so was another. It was a baby, also a girl, from the Hamato Clan. The daughter of Hamato Yoshi." "Hamato Miwa." I say out loud, remembering the name of Splinter's one and only biological child. His deceased infant daughter.

Karai gave me a sharp nod again for confirmation as she continued. "It wasn't soon after that my father was overtaken with complete jealousy at the fact that your sensei was able to have Tang Shen and he couldn't and he wanted to see Hamato Yoshi suffer in the ultimate way possible. It was night, my father slipped away undetected and attacked Hamato Yoshi at his home. But it didn't happen in the way my father anticipated. Yoshi woke up and immediately came to the defense of his family and it ended in my father going for the final strike at Hamato Yoshi only to realize that it didn't hit his _intended target_. The strike hit Tang Shen and in his disbelief, he left Hamato Yoshi there with her and in his last act of defiance set fire to his home, and... whoever was still in it." Karai alludes as she bowed her head, I have never seen her genuinely sorry in all my time of knowing her, but at this moment.

Karai did look genuinely sorry about the fate of Splinter and his family.

I had always known that Splinter lost his wife and that his daughter was lost in a fire, and now I knew how it happened.

Karai reset herself and continued, "My mother found out about my father's _irrational lash out_ at Hamato Yoshi but kept it to herself, finally seeing it as a reason for my father to finally stop taking petty jealousy. But it didn't. A couple years past and my father was still not finished, when they finally ran the Hamatos off their land, my father wouldn't let it go. He wanted Hamato Yoshi dead. He was consumed with it. He withdrew himself from everyone and spent every moment trying to hunt down Hamato Yoshi's location. It left my house in a constant battle between my parents. My mother tried to keep convincing my father that he won and that Hamato Yoshi suffered enough, but my father in his vanity and gluttony for revenge refused to let it go. I spend most of my nights trying to block out my parents arguing. Hoping that if I ignored it, it will go away. But one night my mother put me to bed and the next morning… father was stone cold and then he finally told me that my mother left and was never coming back and that it was Hamato Yoshi that drove her away from us. Though I now know it isn't true. I was barely 4 years old."

It silent between us in the tenement. Almost a full 10 minutes of silence as I processed Karai's story. After all these years of being in the dark I finally, at long last, know everything.

To be honest, it actually explained so much, about everything.

I was trying to mull over how to respond, but then the realization finally dawned on me. The reason why Karai never wanted to become serious with me. "Is that it? Because of what happened between your parents? Is that why you never let me in?" I say.

Karai looked frustrated and also embarrassed about being figured out until she finally admitted, "Fine! Yes! I have trust and commitment issues okay?! I have problems letting anyone get too close to me only for them to leave… just like my mother." She hung her head, almost in shame of admitting weakness.

I processed what she said and then I finally felt my lips curl up into a smile. She took notice of my expression as she said, "What are you smiling about? What's so funny? Is the ruin of my family hilarious to you, or…" "Karai, no." I interrupt and rest my hand on the side of her face.

My smile still on my face as I said, "It's just that… all this time I thought you wouldn't let me get close to you because of something I did. But, now I know that's not the reason why." "Now you see why I can't." Karai said, but I didn't buy it.

"I don't believe that. You have the ability in you to love someone. I know you do." I persist. She crossed her arms scoffed and retorted, "Oh, really? What makes you so sure that I do?"

"Kaito." I finally say.

I saw Karai's face drain of color when I brought up Kaito's name.

It silent between us before I continued on my previous statement, "You love Kaito, Karai. You aren't good with expressing how you feel. But I know. I know how much you love our son... and I love him too… and I think you have the ability in you to love me too." I gently grabbed her hands in mine.

She looked at me, owl eyed by my boldness.

I kept going, "Karai, I'm sorry for what happened to you and I understand why it has influenced you like this deep down, but just because it didn't work between your parents doesn't mean it would be that way with us. I love you and I know now even if you don't admit it that you also love me too. We'd be so good together and I think that we could make each other happy if you'd let us. Karai… I want you to marry me."

She was in shock at my statement.

"Leo…" "Look, it doesn't have to be right away. You can take as long as you need, 5 years… 6… just so I know that you will be with me. I want us to be together, I want to be a father to our son, and I want to make you happy." I say, laying out my offer.

Karai looked entirely taken aback by my offer. Karai looked at a complete loss. She looked so confused. She lowered her head and said, "I just don't see it working Leo. What about my father and…" I put my finger over her lips and she stopped talking as she looked up at me.

"Karai, we aren't doing anything about it. You said your father has no idea of anything going on. Besides… it wouldn't be the first time keeping a secret with us." I say and grab her hand and smile a little at her. She slowly looked up at me and we just looked at each other in silence for several minutes.

"So... as long as I need?" She questions finally, her expression slowly becoming coy, as her hands wandered up to my shoulders. I felt myself lift as I smiled back at her and caressed her face in my hands as I replied, "As long as you need."

Then before I could even think, her lips were on mine and I gave. As we slowly got into our usual routine I was able to stop us long enough to get her to come with down to the lair with me to continue.

Okay… sure it still isn't exactly what I was looking for, but at least I knew one thing was for sure. Karai does want me and I'm willing to wait as long as she needs to finally get her to be my wife.

Just as I said before. This is how it is supposed to be with us.

That's all… that's it… all of it.

**So… now you all know Karai's story and her reasons for not wanting to get serious with Leonardo. I hope you liked the whole back story I constructed and I how I incorporated Lotus Blossom into the plot. I just wanted to work her in as Karai's mother and I hope you liked my interpretation of Karai's past. Please let me know what you thought as I would love to hear your opinions. Also, there is definitely still more to follow. Have a good one and see you next time!**

**-Dexter1995 **


	24. Suggestion

**Thank you for all the great feedback! I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.**

**(Mona's POV)**

"In 1824 in France, Sadi Carnot, from his fascination with steam engines, established the Carnot Cycle which describes the theoretically 'perfect' engine in thermodynamics. As seen in this…"

My lecture was interrupted by knocking on the door. In the window I saw Diana, one of my colleagues, or one of my few colleagues that I actually like to be more precise, in the small window of the door and waving for me to come out.

I was confused, but I decided to not make a thing of it and go out quietly without disturbing my students.

"Okay, just copy down the cycle on the presentation and I'll be right back." I say briefly and then walk out of the room to see what was going on. I got in the hall and looked at her.

"What is it?" I ask. "Look Mona, I'm sorry if this sounds intrusive but I was walking past your office and I heard someone leaving a message on your voice mail, it was your son's principal."

My eyes went wide by what I heard, but I was keeping it to myself as I thanked her and then walked back into my class and just told them class was dismissed and to look at my online presentation for the rest of their notes and that we'd go over it the next time we met.

I was internally freaking out over what was going on. This has never happened before.

Okay I'll admit it, Jimmy is not the definition of a _teacher's pet_ and he does have a smart mouth like both Raph and I, but he's not a bad boy and he's never done anything that seemed to need the involvement of the principal, ever.

I immediately unlocked my office door and immediately called the school back, "Hello, this is Dr. Mona Hamato, can I speak to Ms. Kelvin?"

* * *

><p>I was practically jumping out of my skin as I got to the front of the school and I saw Raph there waiting.<p>

I could tell they caught him right in the middle of work because he was still wearing his helmet and he was covered in dirt and had tar stains on his jeans.

We walked into the doors of the school and we were both so confused as to what the hell was going on because Raph actually was able to talk Jimmy's principal and she didn't tell him what was going on either, all she told both of us was that we had to come in.

School was over and so it was pretty quiet.

We walked into the main office and then I heard what sounded like crying. The secretary told us to walk to the principal's office and as we walked closer, the crying got louder.

That was when on the way we heard the sound coming from the nurses office and I was in a state of shock as I froze at what I was looking at, it was boy who looked about a year older than Jimmy with light brown hair.

His face was adorned with a multitude of bruises, including two black eyes. But that wasn't it. He also had a split lip and he was holding a wad of bloody gauze over his nose as he continued to cry in pain as the nurse was trying to help him. His shirt also had several blood stains on it.

My imagination was getting the best of me at what could've happened to that boy that involved my son and I could that Raph was probably thinking the same as me, but he tried to get me to move along and to stop staring.

But then I saw something that made me even more confused beyond comprehension, in the chair outside the principal's office, was Tony.

He looked fine, but his glasses were missing the left lens and the right lens was cracked in several places. I had to stop.

I crouched down and looked at him and right as I was about to say something he said looking almost completely out of his mind like every kid who seems to be in trouble, "This was my fault."

What?

"Tony, what…"

"Mr. and Dr. Hamato, if you could step into my office, please." I looked behind me and saw it was Ms. Kelvin. I was forced to stop talking to Tony as Raph and I walked into the principal's office. "Thank you for coming here, please have a seat." She says and motions for Raph and I took a seat in the two chairs across from her.

"What's going on? Where's...?" "Mr. Hamato, if you'll please let me explain." She says and I looked at Raph who leaned forward with his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together as he nodded.

"Look, I'm afraid that your son James got into a fight at recess today and pretty severely _shook up_ another boy."

At that moment, I felt stomach sink at my suspicions being correct. I looked at Raph was also looking at me in disbelief. But, I knew Raph was on my wavelength.

Jimmy couldn't have done it on his own, there had to have been a reason. Sure Jimmy has a bad temper like his father, but he wasn't just some little punk kid that was looking for a fight with random kids all the time. There had to be more to it.

"Why? What happened?" I ask, wanting to know the facts of why Jimmy would have brutally beat up that boy that Raph and I saw.

"Well, that's the thing. I do have security footage that looks over the recess yard that caught what happened, but I was unsure if wanted see it or…" "We can take it." Raph says, his expression serious and also literally speaking for both of us.

I wanted to see what happened too.

Ms. Kelvin nodded as she turned her computer screen on her laptop to face us and it was a still frame of what looked like Tony and Jimmy using a magnifying glass to light ants on fire.

That wasn't surprising to me.

Whenever I asked Jimmy about what he did at school it always involved something he and Tony did at recess. Tony and Jimmy were not only cousins but they were also best friends pretty much, they did everything together. Play sports, watch professional wrestling, and lighting leaves and ants on fire with a magnifying glass outside, like they were doing in the still frame of the video.

Then the video started playing.

* * *

><p><em>Jimmy and Tony were grinning as they were going about there thing with burning ants.<em>_They were like that for about 10 more seconds until three other boys came up to them. _

_The boy with brown hair in the middle who was wearing a white and blue t-shirt came up to them and looked like he was saying something that caused both Jimmy and Tony to stand up and say something back. _

_They talked back and forth until the brown haired boy took the magnifying glass from Tony and held it above Tony's head, using his slight height advantage to keep it away. _

_That was when Jimmy stepped up with his fists clenched and an irritated expression on his face pointing at Tony and was saying something, probably telling him to give it back. _

_The older boy stopped playing keep away but looked at Jimmy with a weird grin as he said something to Jimmy and then shoved Tony to the ground, causing Tony's glasses to come off and land on the ground. _

_The older boy tossed the magnifying glass at Tony and looked like he was about to leave, but then got a wicked grin on his face as he stomped on Tony's glasses and ground them into the pavement and then yelled something in Tony's direction and caused both the older boy and his two friends to laugh as they walked away. _

_Jimmy was locked in place. _

_His expression was blank as he looked at Tony, who was in a case of shock as he looked at his glasses now broken and shattered on the ground, feebly trying to fix them. _

_Then as Jimmy turned his head to look in the boy's direction, his face was contorting into what looked like rage as his eyebrows furrowed and his fists clenched. His jaw looked like it locked up as he bared his teeth and then took off running toward the boy in a dead sprint. _

_Right when the boy turned to look at Jimmy, Jimmy tackled him to the ground and started punching him almost immediately. _

_The older boy got a hit or two at Jimmy, but Jimmy by his facial expression and actions was showing no mercy. They kept fighting until two of the playground supervisors intervened and practically had to pry Jimmy away from the boy. _

_The boy was rolling around lazily on the ground holding his face, his shoulders jerking slightly to show that he was probably crying and yelling in pain._

* * *

><p>I was frozen for a moment or two at what I just saw, but I had a thought in my head of what I really thought of that fight.<p>

Look, I don't condone either of my children fighting at school, but after what I just saw, I think I just made an exception to the rule.

"Mr. and Dr. Hamato, as a principal, it is not my job to involve opinions in my decision making, but I will say that I do not encourage bullying of any kind whatsoever and that I do believe in what goes around eventually does come around. Which is why Phillip Pierce is being suspended for 2 weeks. But, I'm sorry to say that I will have to suspend James too from school the remaining 4 days of this week for fighting with and injuring another student." She explains.

After that the principal told us where to find Jimmy and he was in the hall around the corner.

On our way out we saw Mikey sitting with Tony. "Don't worry about it buddy, they're just glasses. We'll fix 'em." Mikey says trying to calm him down until he looked and saw us and even at this moment was able to smile at us.

"What's up guys, where's Jimmy?" He asks "We're getting him. Where's Irma?" I ask. "She's at a conference in Buffalo with her dad. She couldn't make it here." Mikey explains until he was interrupted by the principal asking Tony and Mikey to come in.

After that we were walking down the hall and then I heard Raph say, "This is bullshit. I say the little bastard had it coming to 'em." I looked at Raph and deep down, I completely agreed with him.

"Just don't tell Jimmy that, or he'll make this a habit of being the third grade vigilante." I say back with a slight smile and Raph looked back at me with a smirk as he grabbed my hand and we both snorted out a slight laugh.

But, we tried to look evened out as we rounded the corner and saw Jimmy sitting in this hallway in a chair by himself.

We walked up to up and at first he avoided looking at us with that facial expression most children get when they think they are in trouble. His hands gripped nervously on the sides of the chair. He looked like he was okay if it wasn't for a cut on his bottom lip.

"Jim?" Raph says.

Jimmy looked up at Raph, his expression serious as he said something as if to explain why he did what he did, "He called Tony a four-eyed freak."

_Oh, so that's what the boy yelled at Tony when he broke his glasses. _

It was almost as if at that moment a flashback hit me.

Even though I haven't been in elementary school in about 23 years, the environment was exactly the same. I always stand by it when I say that elementary school children are the most cruel people in the world when it comes to bullying.

Even though I was a girl and I was in the accelerated elementary school classes, I was still antagonized by everyone for being smart and I also remember everyone calling me _four eyes_, which by the way is so unoriginal yet still hurtful to people like me and Tony at his age. I just wish I had someone like Jimmy around with me then who had my back.

It was quiet between us until Jimmy finally asked the million dollar question in the kid world, "Am I in trouble?" Raph and I looked at each other until Raph nodded at me. "No, you're not in trouble." I say and Jimmy looked at me frozen in shock.

That was Raph when knelt down in front of him with a smirk and playfully punched his shoulder lightly before saying, "C'mon champ, let's go home, alright?"

After that it was silent all the way until we got back to the house and I had Jimmy wash up and I disinfected the cut on his lip with peroxide.

* * *

><p>Molly and Raph were out on patrol and so it was just Jimmy and I at home like usual during the week. I was about to go to my room when I decided to check on Jimmy. I walked upstairs and looked into his room and saw him sleeping.<p>

I smiled at him a little before closing the door and walking back down stairs. Jimmy really was his father's son. Looks, personality, and actions.

But for once and after seeing what happened today, I was really glad that he was exactly like his father.

**(Karai's POV)**

I was by myself on the rooftop at the end of my perimeter when Leo showed up and looked like he had something to say.

"I have a little proposition or... _suggestion_." He proposes, looking like he was really hoping I'd agree. I gave Leo a confused yet intrigued look, but nodded for him to elaborate, wanting to know more.

"Well, I've just been thinking, and I was wondering if you'd want to spend the weekend with me in the lair." He suggests.

"Leo…" "Look, just hear me out." He says before continuing on, "I know the reason now why it's difficult for you to trust people and I want you to trust me, to know me and be comfortable around me. I want us to spend time together to get comfortable with each other more. We'll spend the two days talking, to get know each other more."

I was nervous a little internally as I replied, "And the nights?" Even though I knew deep down what he wanted and was especially sure when he gently grabbed both of my hands that were hanging at my sides.

I looked up at him, our eyes locking, as he replied, "Those too. I just want us to take steps. All I'm asking for is 48 hours to be with me. You don't need to stay the whole time so you are more than able to go and check on Kaito if you need to and whenever you want to, or… you can bring him down too if you want. I think I can let him sleep in my old room so he be with us if…"

"No." I interrupt. "I mean, I just don't think I'm ready for that, not yet." I explain.

"That's fine, then you can go and check on…" "No, Kaito should be fine. I've left him on his own before for a day or two. Kaito knows to call if something comes up. I'll explain the situation, he won't give me away." I explain, not quite ready to completely drag Kaito into this.

If my father finds about me, I can live with it right now, but I'm just not ready to face dragging Kaito into too.

It was quiet, until Leo said, "So… what do you say?" I looked up at him to see him smiling a little at me. I bit my lip slightly as I thought it through. It was just so strange how I was contemplating all these things now, well right now just spending a full two days with Leo.

I just remember how I used to be able to run off to the tenement with Leo all the time so easily when I was younger and almost not caring if I was found out by my father.

But, it's like I said before, I'm different now.

That rebellious, careless, and manipulative teenager side of me has been watered down with the combination of years passing… and my son. Especially Kaito, I love him, but it's no secret that he changed me.

But, in a way, I was glad for it.

I felt like I acted like that when I was younger, that I was almost being dishonest to myself and although my life still is completely complicated, I did feel better about myself as a person.

About finally being a person that truly had honor. As I went over it, I looked at Leo again and inquired, "Just two days?" "Yes, that's all I want." He says and smiles at me again as he brushed a thumb over my cheek.

Finally, I was able to give my answer.

**Hope you liked Jimmy's little incident at school and Raph and Mona's opinions of it. What's going to come of Leo's little **_**suggestion**_ **to Karai? Wait until next time to find out. Thank you all so much for reading and please let me know what you thought.**


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